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Congratulations to the Warren Park Advisory Council on receiving a Chicago Works Community Challenge Grant.  We will see improvements costing up to 1.5 million dollars in the park this year.  What to look for:  2 bocce ball courts, a volleyball court, shuffleboard, improving the cricket field and creating a practice area, tearing down the unused batting cages and building a nature play area.  A community meeting will be held to get community input and involvement in the nature play area.  Watch for more information on this. 

 

The WRCO Board was surprised to learn that the old Northtown Library building had been sold. In response a letter was sent to Ald. Silverstein regarding the process and lack of transparency. The full letter is reprinted below. 

 

Dear Ald. Silverstein, 

It has come to the attention of WRCO that the old Northtown Library building has recently been sold.  The WRCO Board wishes to express our strong disappointment with the lack of transparency involved in the sale of this public building.  As you know, WRCO was interested in the building becoming a multi-cultural arts center serving the whole community.  We contacted you several months ago for help in finding out the status of the building with the Department of Planning and Development.  You responded that the building did not meet the criteria for a Request for Proposal.  We received no response when we questioned what that meant, and you offered no further information.  It now appears the building was available for sale but there was no communication to the residents or organizations of this community that purchase was possible.  Residents and organizations were not given the opportunity to bid on a public building that would sell for below market rate.   

We find this process to be one that is inherently unfair and subjective.  Therefore, we again propose, as we have in the past with the West Ridge Roundtable, that you implement a Citizens Advisory Committee on Economic Planning and Development.  Almost half of the wards have Zoning Advisory Councils that advise aldermen on zoning and development.  We believe the 50th ward needs such a committee so residents can know and be involved in the future development of their community.  We will be following up with you to further discuss this concept and how it could be organized. 

Sincerely, 

WRCO Board 
Evelyn Miks, Chair                                            Mirko Popadic
Andrew Rowlas, Vice-Chair                               Ashish Sen 
Hillorie Morrison, Secretary                               Shikha Sharma  
Irv  Loundy, Treasurer

Mandala Arts will be holding a festival this coming June and they are seeking artists, particularly ones who live in the West Ridge community. This is an opportunity for our neighbors and our newly arrived neighbors to exhibit and share their art and culture.