Categories
Neighborhood Safety

Recent Crime in the Neighborhood

There have been many reports recently of gun related incidents near the Graceland West neighborhood (see below for more detail about the incidents).  GWCA would like to remind all neighbors that it is essential that:

  1. All possible gunfire be called into 911 immediately and any outdoor arguments you hear need to be called into 911.
  2. Every home, apartment and condo building in the neighborhood maintains a bright porch light on from dusk to dawn, all year, and a motion light or bright light in the rear.
  3. Graffiti and bent street signs are photographed and reported to 311.

If you have any details about or may have video recordings of any of the following incidents, send them to  arturo.hernandez@chicagopolice.org and to monique.giannoni@chicagopolice.org.

Do not hesitate to reach out to info@gracelandwest.org if you have any questions or concerns.

  • 12-26-2022 – Shots fired, 6:30 pm, Cullom and Ashland
  • 12-17-2022 – Shots fired, 7:05 am, Belle Plaine and Paulina
  • 12-14-2022 – 2 killed, 10:00 pm, 4800 N, between Ashland and Clark
  • 12-14-2022 – Shots fired, 9:40, 4300 N Ashland
  • 12-12-2022 – Armed robbery, 1900 W Berteau, 4600 N Ravenswood
  • 11-22-2022 – Shots fired, 5:15 am, Berteau and Ashland
Categories
Events & Announcements

Quarterly GWCA Meeting 12/7, 6:30 @ The Piggery

Join GWCA this Wednesday, 12/7 at 6:30 at The Piggery (1625 W Irving Park Rd.) for a neighborhood mix and meet. We’ll have a short community meeting, including semi-annual elections, and enjoy a gathering with neighbors. Looking forward to seeing you there.

See you at The Piggery – 1625 W Irving Park Rd. 12/7, 6:30 PM
Categories
Events & Announcements

GWCA’s 10th Annual Street Leaf Cleanup

Rake/Smash/Play/Learn

Saturday, November 5th, 10 AM – 2PM

Street Leaves on Greenview


Rake: Meet at 10 am at the Greenview intersection of either Cullom, Berteau, Belle Plaine or Cuyler. Bring a rake and leaf bags (we will have extra bags). Clean leaves from streets, parkways, crosswalks and sewer grates and place full bags on the parkways.

Clean remaining street, crosswalk and parkway leaves through November 13 for special parkway pickup after November 13.

Who will win the GWCA Golden Rake Award this year for most bagged street leaves?


Smash: Smash your pumpkins and gourds at Lake View High School for composting. The University of Illinois County Extension Services will be running the Composting
Event on November 5th in tandem with the GWCA street leaf cleanup. Last year over 1,000 pumpkins and gourds were composted from this event. Pumpkins must be free of candles, stickers, glitter, yarn, synthetic decorations. We can compost pumpkins decorated with water-based paints.


Play: Lane Tech will have games for kids (10-2).


Learn: Please stop by the University of Illinois and County Extension, environmental and GWCA tables.

Categories
Events & Announcements

Halloween Party – Saturday October 29th

The goblins are haunting, the monsters will mash, it’s time to get ready for a Halloween bash!

The Graceland West Halloween party returns to Warner Park after a two year hiatus; Saturday October 29th at 10:30 AM. Come in costume and be ready for spook-tacular games, pumpkin decorating, candy apple creation and more.

We are still looking for volunteers to help with the event. Please email info@gracelandwest.org if you’re willing to lend a hand.

Categories
Events & Announcements

Quarterly GWCA Meeting Thursday 9/29, 6:30 @ Lakeview High School

You’ve always wanted to see the inside of LVHS…now’s your chance! The “anchor” of our neighborhood has graciously welcomed us to have our meeting on campus THIS THURSDAY, 9/29 at 6:30 PM. We’ll try to keep the meeting brief, focusing on neighborhood updates, council elections and then we’ll learn about LVHS Robotics and STEAM programs from Dr. Mahesh Alur, the sponsor and coach of the LVHS Robotics Team. Enter the school via the student door on Ashland and email info@gracelandwest.org if you have any questions.

Categories
Events & Announcements GWCA Fest

Special Thank You to Graceland West Neighborhood Fest Sponsors and Volunteers

Thanks for a fantastic Graceland West Neighborhood Fest on September 11, 2022. We were delayed past our 3 pm start by a super cell that brought heavy rain and a squall that flooded several blocks of Greenview. Fest Committee and volunteers set up in a downpour and then held on to tent legs to keep them from going airborne. Randy started the Fest with the magic we all craved, Lisa B kept our hearts warm with song. Once weather lifted enough, neighbors began to fill the 4100 block of Greenview until it was packed with attendees from families with infants to a neighbor in his mid 90’s who walked through the rain to renew his membership. Neighbors kept baked goods coming and Peg’s Bake Table sold out. Kids sported painted faces, one dad held umbrellas in each hand to keep kids dry. Many volunteers went home and changed to dry clothes more than once. Mid-Fest, just when we were all hungry, Big Star Taco arrived with three kinds of tacos and a margarita, and then the juggler brought fire to warm us up.

Kudos to the Fest Committee, which included Barb Sullivan, Sarah Maxwell, Brad Pierce and more. They planned the perfect Fest and executed brilliantly, given the challenges mother nature sent their way. Thank you to the 25+ GWCA Members and Block Reps who helped with spreading the word about the event and a very special than you to LVHS students who braved the weather all day. 

Because we were unable to properly thank our sponsors during the event, they are recognized below.

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

homemade craft cocktail sponsor

wine & beer sponsor

Brad & Melanie Pierce

pony ride & petting zoo sponsor

Marlene Granacki

juggler sponsor

soda & water sponsor

Chris McGowan & Sandy Wang

game prize sponsor

Tim & Barbara Sullivan

face painting sponsor

tie dye sponsor

bounce house sponsor

Jennifer Brown

port-a-potty & sanitization station sponsor

Dr. Lee Francis & Dr. Michelle Gittler

Categories
Events & Announcements

From the Alderman’s Office – Ashland Traffic Calming Measures

Hello,

Our office is proud to announce the installation of new traffic calming measures on Ashland Ave between this week and next. Over the past couple of years, Alderman Martin has been pushing the Department of Transportation (CDOT) to implement measures that slow vehicles making left turns across pedestrian crosswalks. CDOT has agreed to pilot left turn softening measures at the following intersections:

  • Ashland & Cullom
  • Ashland & Montrose
  • Ashland & Sunnyside
  • Ashland & Wilson

Yesterday, crews installed hardened centerlines at these intersections. These consist of rubber speed humps and plastic posts placed on either side of a crosswalk in the center of the street. These centerlines encourage drivers to make wider left turns, which serves to slow vehicles and improve pedestrian visibility in crosswalks. During a previous CDOT pilot of these improvements in River North, CDOT found that they increased the share of drivers yielding to pedestrians from 80% to 98%. Please refer to the attached PDF for more information on these measures.

Next week, crews will also be installing paint-and-post bump-outs at all four intersections to encourage wider turns near sidewalks and further slow vehicle speeds.

These improvements are part of Alderman Martin’s ongoing efforts to improve safety for pedestrians throughout the ward, including along major arterials. Our office has heard about safety concerns regarding all four of the intersections above, including from parents walking children to and from the Gardner School on Wilson. 

Best,

Joshua Mark (he/him/his)

Director of Development and Infrastructure

47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin4243 N. Lincoln Ave

aldermanmartin.com

Categories
Events & Announcements

Rain or Shine! Graceland West Neighborhood Fest

While the weather forecast unfortunately isn’t looking favorable for the Graceland West Neighborhood Fest, our annual festival and most of its offerings including the Big Star taco truck is on as planned. We’ll have coverage from the rain throughout the event as needed. Your participation from 3-7pm, today, September 11th, is appreciated and helps support Graceland West’s initiatives throughout the year ahead. Hope you can join!

Categories
GWCA Fest

Graceland West Neighborhood Fest – Sunday @ 3:00

Graceland West Neighborhood Fest

September 11 @ 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Greenview between Belle Plaine & Warner

Join us for our largest event of the year! All are invited.

Bounce House  Magic By Randy 3:30  Kids Games

Face Painting 4-6  Silly String Battles  Big Star Taco Truck 4:30-6:30

Cornhole + Basketball  Pony Rides & Petting Zoo 4-7  Bake Sale

Juggler 6-7  Beer, Wine & Margaritas  Create Tie Dye T-Shirts

Spin Art  Live Music  + More!

Categories
Events & Announcements

Baked Goods needed Sunday

Please contribute to our neighborhood festival on Sunday (9/11) by baking something for our Bake Sale Table. Drop it off any time after 2:30 pm on Sunday – on Greenview just south of Warner. Look for the tent labelled ”Bake Sale”

Hope to see you there! Sunday 3-7 pm on Greenview, between Warner & Belle Plaine. Come out and meet some neighbors, buy a drink (both adult beverages & soft drinks available) or a snack & enjoy the day

Verified by MonsterInsights