Spooky Bike Ride; Bike the Drive

Hi neighbors,

This summer has been one of wettest in recent memory, with rainfall exceeding 15 inches. And this rain has placed an enormous strain on the City’s water infrastructure—several Chicago-area reservoirs were at capacity, and local streets were frequently flooded.

At a hearing of the Environmental Protection Committee earlier this week, we reviewed the City and County’s ongoing efforts to improve local flood-mitigation infrastructure, including:

• Replacing undersized sewer mains to improve flow capacity,
• Constructing a tunnel in nearby Albany Park to divert stormwater from the Chicago River to the North Shore Channel, 
• Expanding the ability of certain CPS school yards to retain stormwater, and
• Building more permeable “green” alleys, which we need a lot more of across the 47th Ward.

This week, we also learned that the anticipated budget gap for 2027 is $882 million. While this gap is several hundred million dollars smaller than last year’s, it’s still a whopper—a little more than the entire budget for our Fire Department. 

We’re still a month away from receiving the Mayor’s complete budget proposal. Once we do, I’ll have more to share about local priorities and opportunities for feedback.

As we head into Labor Day weekend, I’m incredibly grateful for the sacrifices that countless Chicagoans have made to secure workplace protections we too often take for granted—an 8-hour work day, workplace safety requirements, a minimum wage, unemployment insurance, health benefits, and parental and sick leave (to name just a few).

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, consider putting on a helmet and joining the Active Transportation Alliance with its annual Bike the Drive. The weather couldn’t be better for it, and a refreshing beverage and delicious treat will await you at the end of the journey!

Yours in service,

Ald Matt Martin

Office Closed. City of Chicago offices will be closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. Please call 3-1-1 or email [email protected] to submit requests.

Shredding Day

Saturday, September 19th

Join us at the Jewel Osco parking lot (4250 N Lincoln) for a free paper shredding and recycling event.

In partnership with Midway Recycling, we'll offer both Document Destruction and Electronics Recycling services. For paper, we ask that you remove staples beforehand and bring no more than 2 boxes per household. All types of electronics will be accepted.

Learn more

Save the Date: Spooky Bike Ride

Wednesday, October 7th

Join us Wednesday, October 7 from 6–7:30 PM for a spooky evening ride through the neighborhood.

All ages welcome & costumes encouraged

we'll meet at Welles Park and spend most of our ride on the new protected bike lane on Clark along the way we'll explore some of the history, legends and local lore surrounding two cemeteries in the ward, hear stories from real-life haunted house actors, and keep our eyes peeled—never know who or what we might encounter along the way!

We'll end at Demo Brewing, where you can grab a drink and food from Happy Lobster food truck

RSVP

Ravenswood Art Walk

September 12th-13th

The Ravenswood ArtWalk is a weekend-long celebration of our local creative community, featuring open studios and galleries, pop-up performances and activations, and an outdoor arts market featuring 80+ local makers, two stages of live music, a pop-up beer garden, kids activities, food trucks, and more.

Learn more

Oktoberfest

September 11th-13th

Try authentic German food and traditional drinks. Dance to the music of German bands and spend the evening with friends and enjoy a fabulous festival. Traditional singing and dancing groups from Chicago will perform on Saturday after the parade and on Sunday at 2pm.

Learn more

High Holidays in Lincoln Square

Beginning September 11th

Chabad of Lincoln Square invites you to celebrate the High Holidays in the neighborhood. Later this month, a sukkah will be set up in Giddings Plaza.

Learn more

Tree Trimming Schedule

In the coming weeks, Forestry will be focused on trimming trees on the following blocks:

• 2100 W Montrose
• 2100 W Windsor
• 2000 W Leland
• 2000 W Eastwood

As a reminder, our office cannot accept requests to trim individual trees. Forestry trims trees block-by-block, which is much more efficient.

Forestry cannot estimate when your specific tree will be trimmed beyond providing us the blocks they are currently focused on.

Holiday Weekend: Garbage and Recycling Pick Up

There will be no garbage or recycling collection on Monday September 7, 2026. All City - collected garbage will be serviced Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Residents should ensure all black carts are accessible throughout the week of collection, not solely on their regular day of collection.

Learn more

Volunteers Needed: Mural Painting

September 19th-20th

A new mural will be painted on the south-facing wall of the Lincoln Square Athletic Club under the CTA Brown Line tracks on Sept 19th and 20th from 9am-7pm each day. This project is funded by a DCASE grant. They're looking for painter volunteers (no experience needed) to come help paint certain areas of the mural. Folks can show up anytime during the process to help paint. 

Email [email protected] to confirm your attendance.

Waters Elementary Mum Sale

Help send Waters Elementary 8th graders to New Orleans! Every item sold goes directly to cover the costs of the trip, including transportation, lodging, and meals. Prices range from $16-$34.

Learn more

Volunteer: Apple Fest

October 2nd-4th

Apple Fest is a major neighborhood celebration looking for energetic, friendly, and reliable volunteers to help make the weekend a success.

Volunteer opportunities include: gate greeters, gate captains, set-up crew, and teardown crew. Eligible nonprofit organizations can earn funding based on the volunteer hours they cover.

Learn more

Remembering Jason Soung Lee of Budacki's

Jae Soung Lee passed away on August 16, 2026, at the age of 55. Born and raised in Korea, Jae settled in Deerfield, Illinois and a long-time Chicago small business owner. Along with the beloved local hot dog stand Budacki's, he also owned Crisp, a popular Korean fried chicken spot in Lakeview.

Of that venture, Lee once shared: "When I was starting the restaurant my mom told me, 'This is never going to work. This concept? No. You’re ruining a thousand years of tradition, you’re mixing and matching these American and Korean flavors.' But just the fact that someone who comes in enjoys it enough that they’re going to bring a friend or relative over, that means everything."

Learn more

Featured Business: Black Bear Academy

1801 W Byron

For over two decades, Black Bear Academy has paired academics with on-site therapy for children 18 months through 1st grade. The center's clinic is open to any family, not just enrolled students. Services include occupational therapy, speech therapy, social emotional learning, parent and caregiver coaching, IEP/504 consultation, and neuropsychological evaluations, typically completed within about a month, rather than the 12- to 18-month waits common at many local providers.

Learn more

RSVP: Data Center Town Hall

Tuesday, September 22nd

Data centers are everywhere these days: in the news, on social media, maybe even being proposed in your neighborhood, bringing a host of concerns, from water and energy impacts, to environmental concerns, to the cost of your utility bills. Attend this town hall with a panel presentation and a Q&A portion with State Reps. Kelly Cassidy and Ann Williams, sponsors of the POWER Act.

Learn more

Montrose Beach Clean Up

Saturday, September 19th

Sierra Club of Illinois is excited to announce their Montrose Beach cleanup for the 2026 International Coastal Cleanup! In addition to beautifying part of Chicago's shoreline, they collect and catalog all the debris found to help analyze the cleanliness of the world's water and beaches. This is a wonderful event for adults and kids alike, and a great opportunity to bring your group together for a great cause.

Learn more

Winnslie Parkway Grand Opening

Wednesday, September 16th

Celebrate the Winnslie Parkway Expansion with a continuous walking trail and beautiful new green spaces—including the upcoming Crossing, Ginko, Pillar, and Evergreen gardens. A ribbon cutting will be hosted on September 16th at 10 AM.

Learn more

Civilian Office of Police Accountability: People's Academy

COPA People's Academy is designed to educate citizens on COPA's processes including, the History of Civilian Oversight of Policing in Chicago, Introduction to Officer-Involved Shootings Investigations, Witness Reliability, Standards of Proof, Analyzing Video, Use of Force, and our Policy Research & Analyses Division (PRAD).

Learn more

Ashland Resurfacing

CDOT has completed work on the eastern Ashland raised crosswalks, but the closures will remain in place until Tuesday 9/8 as the concrete needs to cure. Work on the western raised crosswalks will begin after the eastern closures are lifted. The western raised crosswalks will be installed at Sunnyside, Carmen, and Winona. Final pavement markings and sewer structure cleaning are projected to be done by mid-October.



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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

Early September

• Pots to the People, September 5th, Learn more
• Bike the Drive, September 6th, Learn more
• Oktoberfest, September 11th-13th, Learn more
• Ravenswood Art Walk, September 12th-13th, Learn more
• Twilight Canoe and Kayak, September 13th, Learn more
• Midway 5K, September 13th, Learn more

Late September

• Harvest Jam, September 18th-19th, Learn more
• DANK Haus Oktoberfest, September 19th, Learn more
• Games for Good Food Pantry Fundraiser, September 19th, Learn more
• Southport Neighbors Yard Sale, September 19th, Learn more
• Midnight Circus in the Parks, September 25-27th, Learn more
• Children's Resale Event, September 26th, Learn more
• Taste of Uptown, September 30th, 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