August 3, 2012

Ward Update

National Night Out – August 7th
This Tuesday is National Night Out! Come out to Buttercup Park for a great night of family-friendly activities. National Night Out is a great opportunity for community members to be a safe, positive presence on your street. If you cannot join us at Buttercup Park, please consider walking your block that night.
Click here for their website.
Click here for the flyer.

Street Resurfacing Update
Street resurfacing in the 48th Ward is about 50% complete. On Wednesday, I joined residents of Edgewater Beach Apartments, 5555 N. Sheridan Rd., to celebrate their resurfaced street. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions regarding street resurfacing.

Repaved Walking Paths East of Sheridan
The Meadow walking paths East of Sheridan Rd between Berwyn and Bryn Mawr have been repaved. I would like to extend a special thanks to the Chicago Park District and all who helped with this project. Be sure to take a walk down to the lakefront and check it out!

Chicago’s First People Spot Comes to Andersonville
The Andersonville People Spot is a small urban park created by replacing three on-street parking spaces with public seating, native plants, and bike parking. Almost 100% of the People Spot was created with material that were sustainably manufactured and/or recycled. The goal is to install a total of three People Spots in Andersonville: one each in south, central, and north Andersonville. An on-street bike parking corral will be installed in front of the Hopleaf at 5148 N Clark in the fall of 2012.

Berger Park Ice Cream Social
On Saturday, July 28th, Berger Park held an Ice Cream Social to encourage community engagement and involvement. It was a huge success! The crowds enjoyed the music and dance that the Berger Park Arts Partners offered. The park volunteers, staff and Advisory Council pulled together as a team and scooped ice-cream, offered Park specific information on programs and clubs, they also had fun announcing the raffle prizes; all of which engaged the community as they walked through the park and enjoyed the entertainment. Stay tuned for even more Berger Park programming!

48th Ward Summer Film Fest
This week on Tuesday, August 7th, we will be showing Up (Rated PG) at Buttercup Park – 4901 N Sheridan. It’s also National Night Out, so grab your blankets and chairs and join your neighbors for a night out under the stars! Click here for the full list of 48th Ward films this summer.

Explore Edgewater – August 9th
Visit the Edgewater Historical Society for their extended summer hours and enjoy live music in the garden, refreshments and a tour of the historical fire house. Click here for the full list of Explore Edgewater events.

Save the Date for Explore Edgewater – August 23
Visit the Edgewater Beach Apartments (also known as the “pink” building), 5555 N. Sheridan Road from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Tours will leave every 15 minutes from the EBA lobby.  Guests will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the EBA and to tour the lobby, swimming pool and 2+ acre garden.

Education and Summer Programs Update

CPS and CTU Agreement
CPS and CTU have reached an interim, binding agreement that students will have a longer school day on day one this year. That means – 7 hours for elementary students, 7.5 hours for high school students. As contract negotiations continue, you can check the Chicago Public School website and the Chicago Teachers Union website for the most up-to-date information.
The children of Chicago deserve a high-quality education. I continue to work closely with the education leaders in our community to ensure a successful 2012-2013 school year. Thank you to the constituents who have shared their ideas and concerns throughout this transitional time. I invite you to continue the education conversation at an informational meeting on Tuesday, August 21st at Senn High School at 6:30 pm in Senn Auditorium. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Dreyfuss atkaren@48thward.org.

Back-to-School Volunteers Needed
On Friday, September 7th from 3-5pm the 48th Ward will host its annual back-to-school welcome for students and families. There will be food, arts & crafts, a bouncy house, and much more. We need volunteers to help make this year’s event another huge success. If you want to help out, please contact Karen Dreyfuss atkaren@48thward.org.

Construction Update