Rae Ann and Robert Cecrle

Rae Ann and Robert Cecrle lived in Elgin before moving to Edgewater. In 1981 they bought an apartment building on Winthrop Ave. as an investment property at a time when there were fifty boarded up buildings between Foster and Devon on Kenmore and Winthrop. As Rae Ann puts it, “We had no idea what we were getting into”. Their involvement swiftly developed into a lifelong passion for Edgewater.

Rae Ann and Robert have been called “The Pioneers of Winthrop”. One of their first efforts was to help organize neighbors to address the crime and substandard housing issues along the Winthrop-Kenmore corridor. Robert recommended that safety issues could be significantly improved by using wrought iron fences and window protectors, which beautify and protect at the same time.

In addition, Robert has contributed both time and money to community initiatives such as Operation Lakewatch. Rae Ann has been a member of various task forces, worked with many community groups, business interests, and politicians to help make Edgewater an attractive, diverse community. Her latest brainchild is Edgewater Artists in Motion, an effort to place art in empty storefronts.

Rae Ann Cecrle:
“There’s been enormous change and excitement in having all this happen.”

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