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11th Ward Newsletter - August 23, 2026

Nicole Lee Ward 11 📞 773-254-6677 ✉️ [email protected]
Relevance: 2/10
transit_funding zoning_or_development_meeting_or_approval

Summary

Alderman Nicole T. Lee (11th Ward) addressed concerns about an Amtrak proposal using federal funding to build a new 24/7 rail maintenance facility at the Union Pacific Canal Yard (between Lots C and G at Sox Park). She reports that two community meetings were held, asks Amtrak to postpone the second meeting for more answers, has requested a legal review of the deal, and has sought the full DOT grant proposal; she also raised concerns about potential impacts on future development along 35th Street and reiterated opposition to moving the White Sox from 35th and Shields. In other updates, Lee’s newsletter previews upcoming City Council committee meetings (Finance Sept. 14; Economic, Capital, and Technology Development Sept. 15; full Council Sept. 23), notes street repaving and construction/closure schedules, and highlights upcoming ward events including an Amtrak community meeting at Pui Tak Center (Aug. 26) and CPD charity games at Sox Park (Aug. 27 and Aug. 28).

Email from Alderman Nicole T. Lee

3659 S. Halsted | Chicago, IL 60609 | 773.254.6677


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August 23, 2026




Dear neighbors, 


Thursday night, Amtrak hosted the first of two community meetings where we learned more about the rail yard Amtrak is proposing to use federal funding to build a new maintenance facility in our neighborhood on the Union Pacific Canal Yard, specifically, between Lots C and G at Sox Park from 33rd Street to 35th Street. Overall, the new information revealed in the meeting was unacceptable and disrespectful to our community.  


Most notable of what we learned: the four-story maintenance building and the yard as a whole is a 24/7 operation and that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has provided a “categorical exclusion,” meaning the FRA has determined that there is no need for environmental assessments for the project. This, too, is unacceptable. 


I’ve asked Amtrak to postpone the second community meeting until more answers can be provided by Amtrak and other members of the development team directly. I will let everyone know as soon as there is confirmation about when the next community meeting will be.


This has also been rumored to be connected to a plan to move the White Sox out of Bridgeport. I have always been against moving the White Sox from 35th and Shields. I'll continue to fight to keep them in their rightful home in the 11th Ward. Surely, a 24/7 rail maintenance facility would have an impact on any future development along 35th Street. We have been working hard as a community to improve economic development in the ward and this move runs contrary to these efforts.


I have filed a letter with the City’s corporation counsel asking for a full legal review of this Amtrak deal. Commissioner Daley and I have reached out to our federal representatives to make our community’s concerns known. Additionally, both Commissioner Daley and I have sent letters to the United States Department of Transportation requesting a full copy of Amtrak's grant proposal.  


The anger, frustration, and anxiety that so many residents have expressed to me is real, and I feel it too. I live within one block of the rail yard, and have many friends and family who live even closer to the proposed site of the maintenance garage Amtrak wants to build. The 11th Ward is a densely populated, well established and diverse community with families that have roots that go back multiple generations. The pride in our community, connections and traditions were on full display this week and weekend with back to school celebrations at James Ward Elementary (the oldest school in all of CPS) and Minoso Elementary, and the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the St. Joseph Club. I was fortunate to participate in all three. All of this doesn’t exist everywhere in our city, and it is so much of who we are. It’s worth protecting, and that’s exactly what Commissioner Daley and I will continue to do as we fight against the Amtrak maintenance operation moving into the ward. 



In ligher news, there will be two games at Sox Park this week that all are invited to come out and support. The first will be Thursday, August 27th when my colleagues and I will play the Chicago Police Department Knights in a charity softball game. The next night will be the annual CPD vs. CFD Charity Baseball Game. Play starts at 6:30 both nights. 



Ald. Lee 

Upcoming in City Council


  • Monday, September 14, Committee on Finance 
  • Tuesday, September 15, Economic, Capital, and Technology Development 
  • The next full City Council meeting is currently scheduled for September 23rd.

Events in the Ward

8/26: The Amtrak Community Meeting at Pui Tak Center, 5:30 PM (this has not officially been rescheduled yet – I will have confirmation by Monday, August 24th)


8/29: Bridgeport VFW - Auxiliary to Post 5070 Fundraiser Operation Icons of Country, 6 PM (see flyer below)


9/8: Beat 913/915 Meeting, 9th District Police, 3120 S Halsted St, 6PM 


9/11: Veterans Office hours from 12-4PM. Please see the flyer below for our upcoming office hour dates for the Fall. 


Labor Day holiday office schedule:


Friday, September 4: 8:30 AM - 3:00PM

Saturday, September 5: Closed 

Monday, September 7: Closed in observance of Labor Day

September 8 - 11: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

September 12: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Public Safety

This past week, two people were robbed at gunpoint early Friday morning at two different (but closeby) locations, 32nd and Canal and 32nd and Emerald. Police believe the crimes were perpetrated by the same people. Thankfully, no one was injured. If you have any video footage that may be helpful to police, please contact the 9th District. Please be careful if you are out in the early morning hours. 


There was a beat meeting at the Chinatown Library, as well as the Canaryville Improvement Meeting at St. Gabriel’s last week. A member of my staff joins every public safety meeting in the ward to make sure we are abreast of community issues. If you are a victim of crime, call 911 and be sure to place a police report. If you have any concerns about community safety, please feel free to contact my office. 

Ongoing Construction &

Street Closures

Street Repaving S. Emerald Ave.


  • Emerald Ave. from 37th St. to 38th St. is expected to grind and mill from August 3rd to September 1st 2026.
  • Emerald Ave. from 32nd to 33rd St. is expected to grind and mill from August 3rd to September 1st 2026.

Ongoing Project - Sewer Main on Pershing Rd. from Halsted to Racine

Projected schedule: (Weather Permitting)

  • Going forward our updates will focus on the completion of restoration activities which are currently under way. 

Ongoing Project - 3500 - 3900 S Parnell Ave.:


Most recent updates - 8/21/2026


We are currently finishing restoration of roadway on the Parnell Ave. from 3500-3900 S. We are waiting for asphalt paving. The remaining work at 35th and Parnell Ave.is expected to resume after the end of White Sox season around October 2026.


  1. Asphalt Paving: (The subcontractor has not provided a schedule as of 8/21/2026 so this maybe delayed.) Street will be closed during asphalt placement.

Peoples Gas South Station Remediation

Most Recent Updates - 8/14/2026


  • Peoples Gas contractors continue environmental cleanup activities at 2730 S. Eleanor Street.
  • The primary activities at the site for the next two weeks will continue to be excavating and hauling away soil, followed by backfilling excavations with clean stone. Some In Situ Stabilization (ISS) work will also be performed. Trucks will visit the site most days to pick up soil or deliver stone. 
  • 24-hour air monitoring is taking place and will continue during all intrusive activity.
  • As a reminder, if you have questions about this project, please contact the Peoples Gas project number at 877-380-0522.

Photos of the Week 

James Ward School held a Block Party on Thursday, August 20, 2026. It was a great opportunity for students, families, and community members to come together and enjoy the event.

Minnie Miñoso also hosted their Back-to School celebration that day.

Happy 100th Anniversary to The St. Joseph’s Club Block Party & Parade

The St. Joseph’s Club Block Party and Parade was held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 28th Street and Union Avenue, commemorating its 100th anniversary.

Announcements & Information 
Flyer from Alderman Nicole Lee (11th Ward, City of Chicago) titled “11th Ward 2026 White Sox Residential Zone Parking Updates,” featuring a background image of a night baseball game at Guaranteed Rate Field. The flyer is divided into two sections: Traffic Updates: “This season, 35th Street will be closed between Wentworth and Normal in both directions 90 minutes prior to the start of a game or event at the ball park and will reopen one hour after the close or when OEMC advises. The street will remain open for emergency vehicles, CTA Buses, IDOT and cyclists. Small map showing 35th Street closure area near the ballpark. “Parking Lots”: Event guests will be directed to access Lots A, B, C and G from Wentworth & 33rd Street. Lots F and L will be accessible from Pershing Road. Accessing residential streets: We recommend using 31st Street to access all North South Streets between Wentworth and Wallace. From the South, we recommend Pershing from Wallace to Halsted Reminders: If you live within the White Sox Park Residential Parking Zone and have a vehicle registered with the city of Chicago at that address, a packet with a decal and supply of season and single game guest passes was mailed to you in the last week. If you do not receive your packet in the mail, you may come to the 11th Ward Office beginning Monday, March 23rd to pick up decals and passes. Vehicles parked in White Sox Residential Zone Parking during events at the ball park must display a decal or valid guest pass. Decals are only valid on vehicles that also display a valid City of Chicago vehicle registration sticker. White Sox Park Residential Zone Parking is enforced two hours prior to the start of a game or event and one hour after. For areas where there is a city designated Residential Permit Parking and White Sox Residential Parking Zone - vehicles must display both permits or guest passes or be subject to citation. Pay close attention to signs on the street within one block of the perimeter of the ball park for additional restrictions. All signs will be updated to No Parking 4 hours prior and 2 hours after events.
Flyer titled “Residential access to local streets” explaining traffic and access changes for residents near a ballpark. Top section: Asks if the reader lives north of 33rd Street and south of 31st Street between Wentworth Avenue and Normal Avenue. A map highlights streets in this area with colored markings indicating closures and access routes. Text explains: o access Wells St., Princeton Ave., Shields Ave., Stewart Ave., Canal St. and Normal Ave., area residents are advised to come from the north and utilize 31st Street. Two hours prior to the start of an event, 33rd Street from Wentworth Ave. to Canal St. will be converted to a one-way, west bound street for parking access only – this means no residential access to Wells St., Princeton Ave., Shields Ave., Stewart Ave., or Canal St. Northbound from 33rd St. Access to Wells, Princeton, Shields and Stewart will be for residents only at 32nd Street. Once the game is over, 33rd Street from Canal St. to Wentworth Ave. will be converted to a one-way, East bound street to expedite traffic from parking lots. Bottom section: Asks if the reader lives south of the ballpark between 35th Street and Pershing Road, and between Normal Avenue and Wallace Street. A second map shows this area with marked routes and restrictions. Text explains: To access Wallace, Parnell, and normal to/ between 37th and 38th streets, area residents are advised to come from the north and utilize 35th Street at Wallace or from south and utilize Pershing rd. Access to 37th St. and 38th St. will be for residents only at Normal Ave.

Community Programs and Events

Jobs & Opportunities

Park District Programs

Services
Home Energy Savings Program - For Spanish
For Spanish
For Spanish
For Chinese 中文
For Polish

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link
For Chinese

11th Ward

School and Parish Information

one hope united Affordable Child Care - Spanish and Chinese

Waste Management

11th Ward

2026 Constituent Education Resource Card

The 11th Ward office is happy to announce has a free ‘Constituent Education Resource Card’ available to residents wishing to visit select museums and zoos in the Chicagoland area. Constituents can reserve our Constituent Education Resource Card on a first come first serve basis (more instructions below), to visit any of the following museums in 2026:


  • Adler Planetarium
  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Brookfield Zoo
  • Chicago Botanic Garden
  • Chicago Children’s Museum
  • Chicago History Museum
  • Dusable Museum of African American History
  • The Field Museum
  • Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
  • Lincoln Park Zoo
  • Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Museum of Science and Industry
  • National Museum of Mexican Art
  • National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
  • Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
  • John G. Shedd Aquarium


Only one group of up to four (4) can reserve the pass at a time. The pass must be picked up and brought back to the 11th Ward Office. Constituents need to call for an appointment to come to the office to pick up the pass before visiting the museums. We recommend calling two business days before your scheduled visit.


It is strongly recommended that families utilizing the card contact the museum they plan to visit to learn if pre-registration is required to visit. 

Chicago Public Libraries

9th District Police District Council & Beat Meeting Schedules

The office has extended hours on Monday nights until 7:00 p.m., is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9:00am - 12:00 pm, if it's a holiday weekend, the office will

be open the following Saturday and/or Monday.


Alderwoman Lee will be happy to see residents on Monday nights from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. If you'd like to make an appointment, please call the ward office at 773.254.6677.
 

11th Ward Office| 3659 South Halsted Chicago, IL 60609 | 773-254-6677

 
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Alderman Nicole T. Lee | 3659 S Halsted Street | Chicago, IL 60609 US
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