The Rink, 1122 E. 87th St., has been a haven for South Side skaters for 50 years. As one skater says as he rolls by, “Everybody’s welcome. No one is invited.”

This year, owners and married couple Curtis and Ramona Pouncy hosted a glow-in-the-dark mural contest in honor of The Rink’s 50th anniversary. Artists were asked to create an image that captured what The Rink means to them and the community. A mural celebrating “The Rink Way” now lights the floor under red and green lights. 

Host - Jon Hansen

Reporter - Atavia Reed

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Who we are

Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.

We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.

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Our neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this  ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a  neighborhood.

Stories that matter to you — every day

Since our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. 

We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. 

Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.