Book Donations; Andersonville Vintage Market

Hi neighbors,

In recent weeks, the best of summer in Chicago has been on full display! Whether it’s a concert at the Welles Park Gazebo, cooling off at the Chase Park Pool, or grabbing fresh produce at the North Center Farmer’s Market, we’re fortunate to have so many dynamic outdoor spaces in the 47th Ward. And we’re going to be adding another one soon!

Across from Martyr’s Live on Lincoln Avenue sits a City-owned parking lot that is usually empty. Next Thursday July 30th at 5pm at Bartlebys Homemade Ice Cream (1943 W Byron), my office is hosting a community event to solicit feedback on designs for a new public plaza at the lot. My sincere thanks to State Representative Ann Williams, the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce, and the North Center Neighbors Association for all of their partnership throughout this process.

Thank you to all of the neighbors who joined us at our monthly Ward Night at Timber Lanes! It was a real pleasure alternating between conversations about our wonderful community and rolls that, well, left a bit to be desired from yours truly. My gratitude to Matt, Mary, and the entire Timber Lanes team for opening their home away from home to our community. 

Earlier this week, I joined 14 of my aldermanic colleagues signing onto an ICE Out pledge to reject contributions from corporations tied to ICE and U.S. Border Patrol. As an elected official, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to end the Trump administration’s brutal immigration enforcement tactics. 

In the 47th Ward alone, federal immigration agents have torn a daycare teacher away from her school, pointed a gun outside a school while confronting a protester, and unlawfully took the father of a student with terminal cancer. Any company enabling ICE and Border Patrol to terrorize our neighborhoods needs to rethink their practices.

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend. If you’re looking for something to do, consider swinging by the Ravenswood Neighbors Association’s Garden Crawl & Happy Hour tomorrow (Saturday) between 9am and 5pm, as well as the Andersonville Vintage Market on Sunday between 11am and 5pm.

Finally, please join me in congratulating the Chicago Rowing Varsity Girls team, who just took 4th place at the Henley Royal Regatta in London! This regatta is the biggest rowing competition in the world, and the team’s journey to it started at the 47th Ward’s very own Clark Park. 

If you’ve ever been curious about rowing, Clark Park is a must visit. Thanks to a unique partnership between the Chicago Rowing Foundation and the Chicago Park District, teens and adults can learn to row at affordably priced classes and take advantage of top-notch facilities right in our neighborhood.

Yours in service,

Ald Matt Martin

Ainslie and Claremont Sewer Work

Starting Monday, July 27th

Sewer work at Ainslie and Claremont will begin on Monday, July 27th. This will fully close the intersection of Ainslie/Claremont for approximately 4 weeks. Departments made our office aware of this project late this week.

Under the current schedule Ainslie/Claremont will be back open in time for school at St. Matthias although delays of the project are possible.

The work will create a new connection to the existing sewer on Claremont that previously did not exist, which will improve stormwater drainage in the area.

Paid Internship: Social Media Assistant

Know a Chicago-based undergraduate student who should make our next silly (or thought provoking!) video?

We are hiring a part-time social media assistant for 10-12 hours starting September 1st. We're accepting applications on a rolling basis. Interviews will start on August 10th.

Learn more

Andersonville Vintage Market

Sunday, July 26th

The Andersonville Vintage Market is a vibrant outdoor event celebrating all things vintage. Held this year at Ashland & Catalpa, this event features a curated mix of vintage clothing, home goods, vinyl, furniture, and handmade treasures from some of Chicago’s best vintage vendors. With plenty of opportunities to hunt for one-of-a-kind finds, the market is the perfect way to spend a Sunday in Andersonville.

Learn more

Dim Sum 5K

Saturday, August 1st

Chinese Mutual Aid Association’s annual Dim Sum & Then Some 5K/10K & Kids Dash is a unique race, fundraiser and community event highlighting the diversity of the Uptown neighborhood- with all proceeds benefiting the low income immigrant and refugee community.

Learn more

Ravenswood Bike Tour

Saturday, August 8th

The Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and North Branch Works are teaming up for a guided, 5-mile morning bike ride beginning at Rockwell on the River and ending at the all-new Ravenswood Feel Good Fest at Clark and Sunnyside. This is a pay-what-you-can event! Proceeds will be donated to the Chaddick Institute’s Riley O’Neill Memorial Fund.

Learn more

Book Donation Drive

Starting August 8th

Drop off your used books, CDs, and DVDs at the 47th Ward Office (4243 N Lincoln) between August 8th and September 9th to be donated to the Bezazian Library book sale.

They do not accept textbooks, magazines, VHS tapes, or cassettes.

Learn more

Share Your Story About ICE in Chicago

A student at Whitney Young High School is collecting 100 letters from Chicagoans affected by ICE. Your testimony can be typed or hand written. Letters will be accredited to the author. If an author prefers to submit anonymously, that request will be respected.

Learn more

Emergency Blood Shortage

The American Red Cross announced a national emergency blood shortage as the nation's blood supply declined by nearly 25% during the month of June. This shortage comes during the height of summer, when hospitals often experience increased demand for blood.

The shortage is especially critical for Type O positive and Type B negative blood, though donors of all blood types are urgently needed.

Learn more

Taste of Andersonville

Wednesday, August 12th

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is excited to present one of its most popular summer events: the annual Taste of Andersonville.

This year’s Taste will feature three cultivated routes allowing hungry foodies to travel up and down the Clark Street business corridor sampling small plates of more than 20 dinner, dessert and beverage options from Andersonville’s robust restaurant district.

Learn more

Resources

Business

• Lincoln Roscoe Beer Stroll Vendors, Learn more

Workforce

• Goodwill Workforce Center Events, Learn more
• Social Services Career Trainee, Learn more
• Cook County Assessor Hiring, Learn more
• Greater West Town Job Training, Learn more

Ravenswood Garden Crawl

Saturday, July 25th

The annual Ravenswood Garden Crawl & Happy Hour returns. Join a free educational tour or workshop throughout the day or take a self-guided tour to explore gardens around the neighborhood.

Tours and workshops begin at the RNA info tent at Sunnyside and Ravenswood (west side of Metra tracks) from 9am to 3pm and include topics such as native gardening, birding, tree care and identification, beekeeping, and more!

Learn more

Help New Trees Grow

Newly planted trees need regular watering to establish strong, healthy root systems and

give them the best chance of long-term survival. To support healthy growth and establishment, provide 10–15 gallons of water each week at the base of the tree—about 2–3 five-gallon buckets. Water slowly and deeply so the moisture penetrates the soil and reaches the developing roots rather than running off the surface. Consistent watering during the first few years after planting is one of the most important steps you can take to help your tree thrive.

Learn more

Meeting: Parking Alternative Response Proposal

Wednesday, July 29th

Join the 19th District Council for a meeting focused on their Parking Alternative Response Team (PART) pilot ordinance, a proposal that sends trained civilian parking enforcement staff to parking-related 911 calls, ​allowing police officers to focus on higher priority public safety needs.

District Councilors will provide an update on where the progress towards passing the ordinance stands, discuss the challenges it has faced, and explore why expanding alternative response is so important for Chicago.

Learn more

Treatment Not Trauma Town Hall

Tuesday, July 28th

Join advocates on Tuesday, July 28 for a community town hall featuring Northside Alderpersons and representatives from the Mayor’s Office. The townhall will discuss the current state of the CARE program, funding, implementation challenges, and what's needed to build a stronger, more effective alternative response system.

Learn more

Western Brown Line Construction

CDOT continues addressing their final touches required for project completion in the plaza and surrounding area.

CTA's work on the Western Brown Line Station bus turnaround and canopy was completed last week! Final touch ups will continue, including the removal of their equipment from the turnaround. The return of bus service to the turnaround is pending a curb adjustment from CDOT at the bus turnaround entrance and is currently being scheduled with CDOT's contractors. 

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Ashland Resurfacing

CDOT has shared that the final layer of asphalt is completed! CDOT has begun restriping parking, lane lines, and crosswalks. At our request, CDOT is expediting the striping and sign installations such that they are projected to be completed by the end of July. CDOT will remove parking restrictions block by block as soon as they finish striping. Once CDOT has completed the repaving and striping, crews will work on the raised crosswalks, concrete bus pads, and will restore impacted parkways. We anticipate that these finishing touches will be complete by the end of August.

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This Year: Upcoming Projects

• Water Main Replacement near Leavitt and Lawrence
• People's Gas Projects on Greenview from Roscoe to Grace

This Week

• Andersonville Sidewalk Sale, July 24th-July 26th, Learn more
• Andersonville Vintage Market, July 26th, Learn more
• Fulton Market Grand Prix, July 26th, Learn more

Future Weeks

• Dim Sum 5K, August 1st, Learn more
• Feel Good Fest, August 8th, Learn more
• Lincoln Square Cat Tour, August 8th, Learn more
• Ravenswood Community Bike Ride, August 8th, Learn more
• Andersonville Vintage Market, August 9th, Learn more
• Taste of Andersonville, August 12th, Learn more
• Thirsty Ears Music Festival, August 22nd-23rd, Learn more
• Saigon Jazz Revival, August 29th, Learn more

Community Job Boards

Looking to work locally? Many of our local chambers of commerce offer job boards to help highlight openings at local businesses. Find more information at the following links:

• Andersonville
• Lakeview/Roscoe Village
• Lincoln Square/Ravenswood
• Northcenter
• Greater Ravenswood