32nd Ward Newsletter August 7, 2026

32nd Ward Newsletter August 7, 2026

Dear John,
The Holstein Park pool will finally be opening this Saturday, August 8th!

I have added some updates on legislation and the building debt issue for the City in the legislative section below.

I'll be co-hosting a free home ownership & credit building workshop with the City Treasurer next week, and there are a lot of fun events coming up in the neighborhoods of the 32nd Ward before school starts.

Have a great weekend!

Alderman Scott Waguespack

National Night Out

There were several National Night Events across Chicago as every police district hosted a community NNO event. We ended the day with the 14th District at Haas Park as our new 14th District Commander Al Perez (white shirt below right) enjoyed his first big community event as Commander. Thanks to all of the community businesses that donated time, food, bounce houses for kids, and a lot of fun activities for all. There were horses, luchadores, and many of our CAPS staff and facilitators. And many thanks to the officers of the 14th, 18th, and 19th Police Districts who serve our constituents for the extra time they spent working with kids and families to make the National Night Out an enjoyable event for all.

Wells Fargo Roscoe Village Ribbon Cutting

I want to congratulate Wells Fargo for opening their newest branch in Roscoe Village at the corner of Western and Clybourn. Present at the ribbon cuting was City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen, Matt Grover and Brian Crouch from the Roscoe Village Neighbors, and many neighborhood families. Wells Fargo have invested at least $18 million dollars into the communities they serve. They also have offered $25,000 grants to small business and hope to continuing that program.

At the ribbon cutting, Wells Fargo presented a $30,000 check to Roscoe Village Neighbors for their Retro on Roscoe fund. Any extra money made from Retro on Roscoe is distributed to Roscoe Village schools, for street beautification, and other community based projects!

HOLSTEIN PARK POOL OPENS SATURDAY AUGUST 8!

We're thrilled to announce the opening of Holstein Park Pool. Residents have eagerly been waiting for the pool to open while work had to be done to make sure the pool is safe and up to standard. We truly appreciate your patience!

Legislative Summary for July

A couple of the items we've worked on the last couple months in preparation for Council are listed below.  

Passing the TIF for the Foundry Park Redevelopment.

The development requires a multi-step process that we will continue to update. The TIF funding requires the developer, JDL Development, to enter into a redevelopment agreement with the City. The redevelopment agreement includes a job creation goal of 200 full-time equivalent construction jobs and increased MBE (30%) and WBE (10%) participation goals. The redevelopment agreement also includes the standard City resident work hour requirements. The TIF funding will focus on reconstruction of city owned infrastructure including:

1. A Fitness Park: a 0.45-acre, publicly accessible park and open space along the west bank of the Chicago River, to be maintained by Developer;
2. Foundry Point Park (East and West Sections): a 1.13-acre, publicly accessible park and open space along the east and north banks of the Chicago River, in two sections, each of which will be maintained by Developer;
3. Triangle Park: a 1.84-acre, publicly accessible park, open space, and plaza located between Cortland St., Kingsbury St., and Southport Ave., to be maintained by Developer;
4. River-Adjacent Residential River Walk: a riverwalk along the east bank of the Chicago River between Cortland and Dickens, to be maintained by Developer;
5. River Edge Improvements: the removal and restoration of the river walls on the east and west banks of the Chicago River abutting the Property, to be maintained by Developer;
6. Roadways: the extension and subsequent dedication to the City of the following road segments, including utility infrastructure, bike lanes, and other required CDOT improvements: (a) extension of Dominick St. from Dickens Ave. to Southport Ave.; (b) new north/south alley between Dickens Ave. and the Dominick St. extension; (c) extension of Southport Ave. from Kingsbury St. to Cortland St.; (d) repaving and reconfiguration of Kingsbury St., Southport Ave., Dickens Ave., and Cortland St. on the Property; (e) installation of a four-way stop at the intersection of Cortland St. and Southport Ave.; and (f) installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Cortland St. and Kingsbury St.;
7. 606 Extension: the installation and subsequent dedication to the City of a 12-ft. wide paved path and bridge extending the 606 Trail from the current trail edge at Elston Ave., along the existing railroad easement, across the Chicago River to Kingsbury St.; and
8. General Site Prep: soil cutting, infill, grading, subgrade stabilization, soil compaction, debris removal, utility relocation, and drainage and erosion management

The estimated total project cost is $234,889,834. 

Establishment of Data-Driven Citation Recovery Pilot Ordinance of 2026

This ordinance by Alderman Gil Villegas (36th Ward) establishes a pilot program for the evaluation of data-driven discount and payment structures to improve the City’s recovery of fines, late fees, interest, and collection expenses arising from parking violations, speed camera violations, and red-light camera violations. A third-party contractor will be selected to provide the services and software necessary to implement the pilot program. As you know, the failure of the Johnson Administration to undertake the government process of collection of fines and fees has led to massive budget gaps that continue to grow exponentially. Not only are we working to collect from city employees but have to push for the basics to be followed through on, such as people ticketed for parking at fire hydrants, speeding, or red light cameras. 

Updated Ordinance between City and SomerCor 504, Inc.,- the ordinance is written to administer the Small Business Improvement Fund program to provide TIF grants for the improvement of commercial and industrial facilities of small businesses. The ordinance adds the Cortland and Chicago River, Lake Calumet Industrial, and North Pullman Redevelopment Project Areas to the Program and authorizes SomerCor to allocate an additional $48,350,000 across 33 of the TIF districts included in the Program. The agreement is designed to promote economic development by providing small businesses and property owners with reimbursement grants for permanent building improvement costs. Residential projects are not eligible.

Council Order by Alderman Waguespack - Chief Procurement Officer and City Comptroller ordered to implement direct pay program - to administer construction escrow to pay prime contractors and subcontractors for work performed on city construction contracts. These prime and subcontractors are often not paid by the city on time, forcing them to close their doors or borrow to keep their doors open. The vast majority of the affected contractors are women owned and minority owned businesses who also do not have access to capital in order to survive the failure of the City to pay on a timely basis.

This order directs the Chief Procurement Officer and Comptroller to implement a direct pay program, utilizing a third-party administrator, to administer construction escrows for City construction contracts. An RFP to select the third-party administrator must be issued no later than October 31, 2026. According to the data we collected, dozens of businesses have closed their doors as hundreds of millions in city owed bills were not paid in a timely manner. 

DEBT ISSUE - In order to get some traction on the debt issue, almost all aldermen signed the letter to the mayor (below) asking for movement on debt collection. As I have pointed out before, the OIG report of April 2026 supported our contention during last year's budget was in part unbalanced due to the lack of sister agency and city employees refusing to pay their bills. This letter affirms that OIG report and asks that intergovernmental agreements be signed to assure payment of outstanding bills. The lack of collection has led to tens of millions in annual budget gaps. The OIG audit indicates the City of Chicago is owed at least $8.1 billion in uncollected debt. Over 12,000 City and sister agency workers owe tens of millions in unpaid traffic tickets, water bills, and municipal fines, with employees from Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Transit Authority owing the highest amounts. The 2027 budget gap could be close to $1 Billion.

Free Homeownership & Credit Building Workshop with Opening Comments from Alderman Waguespack - Hope to See You There!

August CAPS Meetings

14th Police District

1433- August 18, 6pm

Pulaski Park

1419 W. Blackhawk

1434- August 26, 6pm

Bucktown/Wicker Park Library

1701 N. Milwaukee

[email protected]

14th District Twitter

14th District CAPS- 312-744-1261



19th Police District-

1921- August 19, 6:30pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1922- August 19, 6:30pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1931- August 25, 6:30pm

Lathrop Advancement Center

2820 N. Leavitt

1932- August 27, 6:30pm

Lincoln Belmont Library

1150 W. Fullerton

1933- August 11, 6:30pm

Illinois Masonic Hospital

836 W. Wellington

[email protected]

19th District Twitter

19th District CAPS- 312-744-0064

2026 Street Cleaning Schedule

Street cleaning season is in full swing. Sweepers will do more than one pass on the block in their initial cleaning but will not come back to clean sections outside of their officially scheduled day.

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 11, 12, and 13 (parts of Lincoln Park). Click on the map above to see your section's schedule.

Please be on the lookout for signs and make sure to move your vehicle on your scheduled day (south and east sides of the street are normally done on the first day, north and west on the second; please watch for signs).

Please take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property to keep the sewers flowing well. Any landscaping debris should be bagged and put in the alley by your trash cans. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Piles of leaves and heavy garbage also clog the sweepers and will cause significant delays. Other large objects like branches will also damage the sweepers, so please remove them from curbs. Many of our clogged drains are covered in bottles, plastic bags and heavy landscaping debris that prevents good drainage. Removing plastics from the curbs and drains also helps keep our Chicago River and Lake Michigan free of the debris. Data from the Friends of the Chicago River shows that about 85% of litter in the Chicago-Calumet River system is plastic, with nearly 93% of local fish ingesting microplastics.

Residents can view street sweepers in real time using the Sweeper Tracker online tool. 

Chicago Air and Water Show

The Chicago Air and Water Show returns Saturday, Aug. 15 and Sunday, Aug. 16, with a rehearsal on Friday, Aug. 14, as part of the nationwide celebration of America250. As one of the nation's largest free admission air and water exhibitions, the event draws hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors to Chicago's lakefront each year. Whether you plan to attend or live, work, or visit nearby, here's what to know before the show.

Key Dates and Times 

• Friday, Aug. 14 Air and Water Show rehearsal: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 15 Chicago Air and Water Show: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Sunday, Aug. 16 Chicago Air and Water Show: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Viewing Area

Chicago's lakefront from Fullerton Avenue to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach serving as the show center.

Planning to Attend? Know Before You Go.

• Admission is free.

• Arrive early, especially if planning to watch from North Avenue Beach. Large crowds should be expected throughout the weekend.

• Consider taking CTA or other public transportation to reduce traffic and parking challenges.   

• Stay hydrated and prepare for warm summer weather.

• Pets are not permitted on Chicago swimming beaches, except for service animals. 

For the latest event information, schedules, and updates, click here.

The Bucktown Arts Fest is coming up at the end of this month. A fest by the community, for the community – all proceeds from the volunteer-run Bucktown Arts Fest go to fund, develop, and support arts and education programming at Holstein Park and in local Bucktown/Wicker Park classrooms. 

Click flyer above for more information and to register.

Click here to see if there are any movies left in your local park!

Book Swap at the Bucktown-Wicker Park Library

Do you want to get rid of a few books, or are you looking for your next great read? Stop by the Bucktown Book Swap. Bring one or more used books (up to 1 bag), and then take as many books as you'd like. Click here for more info.

Sunday, August 16th from 1:00PM - 2:30PM 

1701 N. Milwaukee

Registration for Bike the Drive is Now Open!

Bike the Drive is Active Transportation Alliance's largest fundraiser and your once-a-year opportunity to ride your bicycle (or skate) on Dusable Lake Shore Drive! This year, it's on Sept. 6th with the lanes opening at 6:30 am. The earlier your register, the more you save!

Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit advocacy organization working to improve conditions for walking, biking, and public transit throughout Chicagoland. You can register, check out the route, and make note of where you can start by going to bikethedrive.org. SEE YOU THERE!

5k Run at Midway Airport!

Damage Assessment Survey for Residents Affected by Thunderstorms on July 27, 2026

Cook County’s Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS) and the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) are reviewing damage from the severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that occurred July 27, 2026 and asking that residents who have been impacted by these storms submit an initial damage assessment.

Several municipalities in Cook County including the City of Chicago experienced power outages, downed power lines, tree emergencies, debris, localized roadway flooding, and structural emergencies due to the storm system. Immediately after the weather events, Regional Coordinators visited impacted neighborhoods to assess damages, gather information on community needs, and provide residents and businesses with recovery resources, support, and information.

EMRS and OEMC are partnering with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency – Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) to compile additional information. This supplemental information will help determine if the County, along with partners at OEMC and IEMA-OHS can pursue any options for additional assistance for residents. The objective of this survey is to help State and local emergency management officials across Illinois identify and gain an understanding of damages that occurred during recent natural disaster activity.

Reporting damages to emergency management is voluntary. It is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance agency and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.

To fill out a survey, please visit the Illinois Residential Self-Assessment Survey online or download the link with the QR Code below:

Cook County will continue to coordinate with suburban municipal partners, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois to analyze the extent of the damage from these storms and will pursue any available assistance on behalf of impacted residents.  

Last 2026 Chicago Business Resource Expo! Aug. 29

REGISTER HERE!

The 2026 ComEd Powering the Holidays Program is now accepting applications. For the sixth year, ComEd has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to award grants of up to $2,500 for community-based holiday light events throughout ComEd's service area. 

• Eligible applicants include municipalities, townships, counties, and other local government entities, as well as nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions that partner with at least one municipality.

• Grant funding may be used to support community-based holiday light events taking place between November 1, 2026, and February 13, 2027.

• Applications are open through August 21, 2026. The application, program guidelines, and additional information can be found here.

Recognizing the important role holiday celebrations play in bringing communities together, I encourage you to learn more about this opportunity and share it with organizations in your network that may be interested in applying. To help spread the word, two shareable graphics are attached for sharing with your networks. 

Additional City Resources for You & Your Family


These services are provided free of charge to all Chicagoans.



Family & Maternal Health

CDPH WIC Clinics

Pregnant Or Recently Had A Baby?

Healthy Children, Let’s Prevent Lead Poisoning


Preventive Care & Clinics

Need a Vaccine? Immunization Clinics

Free Prostate or Breast Cancer Screening During Birthday Month

Mental Health & Wellness

Mental Health Clinics

Healing Arts Chicago


Environmental & Lifestyle Health

Check Air Quality Near You

Quit Smoking

Community & Other Services

More Services: chicago.gov/health

See a Problem on Your Block? Call 311.

311 is Chicago’s non-emergency service line. It connects you to City services for issues that affect your block, your home, or your health.

By Phone: Dial 3-1-1 from any phone in Chicago.

Online: Visit the official 311 portal

City News

• Mayor Johnson's Budget Director Annette Guzman Is Stepping Down Ahead of Crucial Season
• Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Budget Director Annette Guzman Resigns Amid Finance Team Shakeup Ahead of Tough Budget
• Johnson Downplays Concerns as Budget Director Resigns Amid Continued Turnover in His Administration
• Giannoulias Criticizes Johnson Administration as Chicago Mayor’s Race Accelerates
• Mayor Johnson Outlines Qualities for Chicago’s Next Top Cop, Says He Expects to Make That Choice
• Chicago Sees Lowest Homicide Total for Any July in Decades
• Thousands of Books Are Piling Up in Chicago Libraries Due to Staffing Shortage
• Illinois' Back-to-school Tax Holiday Starts Friday. Here's How It Works 
• Chicago’s Tiniest Bakery Is Attached to a Tree in Bucktown — And Full of Free Cookies
• 27 Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend: Bud Billiken Parade, Market Days, Cat Tour, and More

Alderman Scott Waguespack

2657 North Clybourn

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-1330

[email protected]