Third Annual RPGG Garden Meander

"Come join the RPGG and explore special single family and multi-unit gardens east of Sheridan, ending with a tour of new and old gardens on the Loyola campus and a reception."

Tuesday July 28th 6:00p-8:30p.

Start at 1059-1103 W. North Shore.

MORE INFO

Future Site of the Schreiber Park Community Garden

It's happening! They better get started before the season gets too far ahead, but I'm looking forward to the transformation of this dull space into a lush garden.

PHOTO

Classic RP Photo

LINK

Two cops, victims nab robber in West Ridge

I don't like to focus on crime and negativity but this story speaks to me after recently being a victim of a crime and not having anyone come to my aid when they easily could have.

"A man who allegedly held a corkscrew to a woman’s neck during a robbery was nabbed after the woman, her companion and two Rogers Park District police officers chased him and made an “outstanding arrest"..

LINK Sun-Times

Against the Last Four Miles, or at least the last two on the North Side

Bill Savage responds to Friends of the Park and their plans to expand lake access in Rogers Park:

"I attended one of the meetings Friends of the Park held a couple of years ago to discuss this plan. The crowd, when asked 'How would you like to see these last two miles of parkland created' overwhelming said 'We wouldn’t.' When asked, 'Ok, if something were to be built, how would you want it built,' we replied 'We don’t want it built.' The Friends of the Park clearly had its agenda and the 'engagement' with the neighborhood was a dog and pony show of the first order." - Bill Savage

LINK to Tribune article.

Western Avenue Development Survey

West Rogers Park Community Organization (WRPCO) and Lakeside CDC are conducting a residents survey concerning the future redevelopment of Western Ave. from Peterson to Howard Street. The survey results will be used to guide community planning efforts along Western Ave.

You can access the survey by clicking the link below. Survey results will be collected and shared at a community meeting on Wednesday, July 1, at the Indo American Center.

TAKE THE SURVEY

For more information on the survey,

contact Brian White at Lakeside CDC,

(773) 381-5253 or brian@lakesidecdc.org

A Possible Future For Our Beaches

The group Friends of the Parks has been making a plan since 2006 to open private beaches and the expand lakefront park space along all of Lake Michigan from Evanston to Indiana.

"North of Lincoln Park’s terminus around Ardmore Avenue, it would build 70 to 111 acres of parks and beaches. A basic design calls for a strip of parkland east of Edgewater’s high-rises, extending northward to knit together the small, street-end parks and beaches set amid Rogers Park’s apartment buildings. A more ambitious plan would add peninsulas that would jut into the lake off Edgewater, enclosing lagoons where parkgoers could kayak in calm waters. Neither alternative includes a northern extension of Lake Shore Drive, marinas or commercial development." - Chicago Tribune.

LINK

Ethnic Book Fair & Artist Market

Saturday July 18th 8:30am - 3:30pm 1615 W Morse Ave.

Book and art vendors wanted:

For more details contact

Selena 773-761-7306
selenaderry@sbcglobal.net

Rogers Park Gets Chicago's Theater Neighborhood Award

"At Monday night’s Joseph Jefferson Awards—the annual fete that honors the best work of the year in Chicago’s non-Equity theater—the thriving arts district around Morse Avenue on Chicago’s Far North Side did very well.

Fred Anzevino’s Theo Ubique Theatre Co. production of “Evita” (through June 27; 773-347-1109 and theoubique.org) took most of the honors in the musical categories. And Lifeline Theatre, a longtime neighborhood anchor at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., walked away with many of the play-category kudos."

- Nice words from Chris Jones at the Tribune

LINK

Schreiber Park Community Garden

A new community garden is starting. Approximately 30 4x8’ raised bed plots will be available for organic vegetable and/or ornamental plant growing. Applications are available online or may be picked up at the Schreiber Park Fieldhouse, Monday through Friday, 2-7 p.m. Plots will be awarded and assigned by lottery. More info.

Farmer Fridays Farmer's Market

An evening farmers market began last Friday at Uncommon Ground (1401 West Devon Avenue) and will continue every friday through October 30th, 4:00-8:00pm.

LINK

Rogers Park Peace March

There are some interesting crime stats in this article from ABC7 WLS about a peace march which took place June 10th.

"Rogers Park ranks in the middle of its peer group neighborhoods, according to the statistics. In terms of violent crime, the Austin neighborhood has seen 599 incidents; in Englewood there have been 304; in Rogers Park there have been 119. In Lincoln Park, there have been 62 incidents and Hyde Park has seen 44 incidents since early March. These are numbers organizers say can be reduced with more anti-violence events."

Rev. Jesse Jackson pulls some intriguing numbers:

"We need to revive the ban on assault weapons. It does not make sense to be fighting a war in Iraq and have them here. The number of people killed here in Chicago are Baghdad numbers, those are Afghanistan numbers. We need the governor to intervene and the president to honor his commitment to revive the ban on these semi-automatic weapons. The murder rate, we lost 603 in Iraq in four years, and hundreds here and it is a state of emergency...We need intervention,".

LINK

Rogers Park Lakefront Parking Bailout

News coverage of the Chicago Park District Superintendent Tim Mitchell and Alderman Joe Moore's deal to keep lakefront parking free has been positive. The Alderman has agreed to pay the Park District $89,000 a year in order to maintain two hours of non-metered evening parking from 7:00-9:00pm for 123 spots in Loyola Park, and keeping overnight parking in these spaces free until 9:00am the next morning.

"I agreed to pay the Park District $89,000 from my aldermanic "menu" fund to compensate the District for its lost revenue. The aldermanic menu is a fund of $1.3 million to $1.5 million that each Chicago alderman receives annually to spend at his or her discretion on ward infrastructure, such as streets, alleys, sidewalks, street lights and the like...I believe this constitutes an acceptable expenditure of menu money--it works out to about $69 a month per parking space." - Alderman Joe Moore.

This means 6.84% of the 49th ward infrastructure improvement fund will go to the Park District to fund the parking of roughly .07% of 49th ward residents. This cost to the ward does not even necessarily fund park improvements within it.

Is this too high a cost for free parking? What about residents who don't drive? Are there greater infrastructure projects which need this funding?

16th Annual Artists of The Wall Festival

The theme this year is "Midsummer Day Dream". June 20th and 21st, 9:00am in Loyola Park at Farwell. Register early through June 14 at Loyola Park Field House, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave. Late registration at 9 am Saturday June 20th.

Cash prizes of $50-$300.

Judging at 2 pm Sunday.

PHOTO CREDIT

Rogers Park Neighborhood Yard Sale

The office of Alderman Joe Moore is organizing a neighborhood garage sale for Sunday June 27th from 9:00am-4:00pm.

"Need extra cash? Trying to clean house? Got too much stuff? Looking for some cheap items and want to support "green living" ?

RECYCLE * REUSE* RENEW!!!

Put your stuff out on your yard, walk, alley, or garage on Saturday June 27th-- 9am til whenever. Or, come out and see what goods others may have!
Please contact Rachel to sign up! 773-807-4572" - LINK

Trash to Treasure Free Swap June 27th

Alderman Joe Moore's 49th Ward Green Corps are putting together a free swap at 1557 W. Howard. Drop off your "Trash" on Saturday, June 27th from noon to 4pm. Return Sunday and take home "Treasures". People who donated will be allowed to select "treasures" from noon to 2pm. Then, from 2 to 6pm, everyone is welcome to take home a "treasure".

For more information, visit 49thwardgreencorps.org. To volunteer, call (773) 338-5796.

(click photo for larger view)

Petition to Create a Green Dog Space in Schreiber Park

An online petition has been started in an attempt to bring a Dog Friendly Area (DFA) to Schreiber Park in south RP:

"For over two years, the dog owners in the Schreiber Park Area have self- policed, beautified and maintained the East Schreiber Park lot to provide running space for their dogs and build a strong community of dog owners in the South Rogers Park/ North Edgewater neighborhood. We are committed in designating this lot as an official City of Chicago Dog Friendly Area, (DFA). We are also committed to establishing the area as Chicago's first GREEN DFA. That is, we want the area to remain a natural grassy space free from concrete and costly trappings associated with other City of Chicago DFAs."

LINK to petition

Photo via flickr

Non-profit Bike Shop and Repair Center Moves to Rogers Park

The Recyclery shop from Evanston is moving south to 7628 N. Paulina Street to a more customer-friendly and convenient space. The Recyclery receives bike donations, and repairs them for resale. It also regularly hosts bike building and repair workshops free of charge.

This Chitown Daily News post about the move features some interesting transportation facts:

"According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Americans spent an average of $8,758 on vehicle ownership in 2007, including $2,384 elusively for gas and motor oil purchases.

This figure does not include other miscellaneous expenses such as auto insurance or maintenance and repair costs. Those purchases added about $2,000 more.

On the other hand, the average person spent $538 on public transportation."

Vacant Mega-Mall Site To Become School

"The Chicago Math & Science Academy paid $5.5 million for the vacant Mega Mall in Rogers Park, where it plans to relocate in time for the next school year. The Chicago Public Schools charter school closed this month on its purchase of the property, 7212 N. Clark St. The school has leased the former St. Jerome school at 1705 W. Lunt Ave. since opening in fall 2004. The Mega Mall property is 54,000 square feet on a two-acre site... up from 40,000 feet the school has now in two buildings."

-CRAIN'S

Photo: Neighbors

Via Flickr

Rogers Park Garden Group Plant Sale & Fundraiser

If you missed the last plant sale fundraiser, here is another chance:

Sunday, June 7th 11am-3pm 1434 W. Greenleaf (next to RP Presbyterian Church)

"The RPGG is holding a special spring plant sale to raise funds for 2010 community gardening programs. If you have plants to donate, please contact Karen McCarthy by email. If you want to buy plants, come see us on Sunday, June 7! "

LINK!

Video: Rogers Park Neighborhood Tour

A bit cheesy, but fun.

The Reality of Crime in Rogers Park

There is a lot of fluff in "Is Rogers Park Really As Dangerous As People Say?".

The answer is no; but The Reader has fun with graphs comparing our neighborhood to others in the city. 

Worth a look.

The Cheetos of Rogers Park

Tracks the adventures of Cheetos bags in the neighborhood. The unnatural orange is striking, some of the photos are actually beautiful.

"Down every street, alley and gangway, the jewel of Rogers Park can be seen. Is it the violet? (the State flower of the great Illinois), the top stripe on the Chicago flag depicting the north side? or the many discarded liquer bottles from Soo's? (usually some form of malt liquer, Ice or 40 oz.) or is it the voter fraud and electioneering during elections by incumbent officials? If you think the jewel of RP is any of these, you are sadly mistaken. The real deal is that finger lickin', orange finger residue leavin', cheesiest of the cheesy puffed snack known as Cheetos!"

Link

Praising Review of Lifeline's "Bushman's Honeymoon"

The Tribune's Theater Loop has only good things to say about the English detective story:

"witty, smart and exquisitely toned, with enough self-awareness to freshen the genre without undermining its conventions."

Read the full article.
The play runs through June 21 at Lifeline Theater.

Rogers Park Art Walk

Saturday May 16th 7pm-Midnight.

Hotei Art Gallery and Gallery B1E owners/operators are looking to show off what Rogers Park has to offer as an arts community. For one night only they are teaming up with local bars, galleries, and over 50 artists and street performers.

"...with great local art, music, food, drinks, and plenty of reasons to get reacquainted with neighbors in this unique community. Hundreds of works of art produced by local artists will be offered up for sale at multiple locations along Morse and Glenwood Avenues, at local galleries, restaurants and bars, and even vacant storefronts festively decorated and accompanied by DJs, bands and other local performers."

Admission to the event is $20, which includes access to all sites, entertainment and open bar and drink tickets good at local establishments. Click Here for more information.

Community Plant Sale

Saturday, May 16 from 9am until noon
Gale Community Academy (7600 N. Marshfield) and
Neighbors United In New Possibilities (1505 N. Morse)

"TOMATOES
CHILE, GREEN, RED, and JALAPENO PEPPERS
FLOWERS
HANGING FLOWER BASKETS
POTTED PLANTS
HERBS
and MUCH, MUCH MORE
ALL GROWN BY VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS"

 
All sale profits will be used to purchase educational products and services for Gale Community Academy.  For more information, call Greg Roberts at 773-534-2750

Time to eat!

This article at the SUN TIMES reminded me it's time to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program this summer. Personally, I hate grocery shopping and am always disappointed by the produce at Jewel or Dominick's, these programs are a great way to support local farmers, eat healthy, and they're convenient. There are plenty of pickup spots in the neighborhood, check out the interactive map on www.localharvest.org to find the one nearest you.

"An estimated 5,000 families in the Chicago area participated in CSAs last year. Jim Slama, president of FamilyFarmed.org, a group that advocates for local food systems, says he expects that number to go up again this harvest season.

"CSAs and the local food movement are both exploding," he says. "People want to be able to know and trust their farmer and thus know and trust their food."

A full share of 20 weeks of produce is $695 and should offer plenty for a family of four. Half shares -- what I opted for -- are $450.

"It sounds expensive until you average it out over the course of 20 weeks and realize that it comes out to be about $5 a day for certified organic fruits and vegetables."

Swine Flu Investigators to Survey Rogers Park

Investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be going door-to-door in Rogers Park this week in an attempt to better understand how the H1N1 swine influenza virus spread in Chicago. Because some of the earliest swine flu cases in the nation were identified in Rogers Park, the CDC has focused a large part of their investigation in this area of the city.

The CDC will be knocking on doors asking residents about recent respiratory illnesses (cough, sore throat and fever) they or someone in their household may have experienced. If a member of the household was ill recently, he or she will be asked to volunteer for a nasopharyngeal (nose/throat) swab to test for the virus.

Interviews and specimen collection are completely voluntary. The CDC investigators are working in teams and will present photo IDs when they are at the door. The investigators will be conducting their door-to-door surveys every day from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., starting today (Monday, May 11th) and ending next Monday, May 18th.

The CDC will concentrate their survey in the area bounded by Touhy Avenue on the north, Devon Avenue on the south, Lake Michigan on the east, and Ridge Boulevard on the west.

Through this investigation, the CDC hopes to garner more information about how flu viruses are spread in our community. This information will be important for future decision making if the swine flu virus or other new viruses emerge next fall or winter.

If you have any questions about the survey, please call Alderman Joe Moore's office at 773-338-5796, and my staff will put you in touch with the appropriate officials in the City of Chicago Department of Public Health, who are working with the CDC on this investigation.

RP Theaters Sweep Jeff Award Nominations

"Maybe the time has come to dub Glenwood Avenue in the Rogers Park neighborhood as Chicago’s answer to off-Broadway. Certainly that’s the conclusion to be reached if you tally up the nominations for the Non-Equity Jeff Awards announced today"

- SUN TIMES

Check out the full article.

Spring Thing 2009 Group Show and Open Studios Event

Show dates: May 8, 2009 - July 4, 2009

Artist Reception & Open Studios, Friday, May 8, 6:00 - 10:00 pm
- Live Entertainment
- Raffle drawings
- 50+ Artists all new work
- Free Admission · Free Parking

Art, snacks, entertainment & shopping all in one creative place!
1806 West Greenleaf Ave. • Chicago, IL 60626 • 773-465-4652
www.GreenleafArtCenter.com