When: Tuesday, March 10th at 7:00 PM Where: Quantum LEEP Academy (1447 W. Montrose Ave)
We are thrilled to welcome Robert Loerzel, a renowned Chicago freelance journalist and photographer. Robert will be sharing stories from his new book, The Uptown: Chicago’s Endangered Movie Palace, co-authored with James A. Pierce.
He will take us through the history of the legendary Uptown Theatre—from its glory days to its decades of disrepair and its potential future. Robert will also present fascinating findings from his history project, The Coolest Spot in Chicago: A History of Green Mill Gardens and the Beginnings of Uptown.
Robert’s work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Crain’s, and WBEZ. This is a presentation you won’t want to miss!
While we’re excited to host an incredible guest speaker, these meetings are also a great way to meet the people living right next door. We’ll have time before and after the presentation to chat, catch up on neighborhood happenings, and meet your fellow Graceland Westers in person.
Can you believe it’s already Wednesday? That means we are just three days away from our Annual Neighborhood Bowling Event!
If you’ve been meaning to sign up but the week got away from you, this is your official Last Call. We have a few lanes left, and we’d love to see your family filling them.
When: This Saturday, January 24 Where: Timber Lanes, 1851 W Irving Park Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Our much-loved annual Next Gen bowling party is just around the corner, and we’re especially excited to invite all Graceland West families!
All Ages Welcome: Bowling is a sport everyone can enjoy. We’ll have bumpers available for the younger ones (or anyone who needs a little help) and lighter balls to make sure every throw is a fun one.
A Chance to Connect: It’s a fantastic opportunity for kids to hang out with their neighbors from different schools, and for parents to socialize and meet other families in the area.
No Experience Necessary: Never bowled before? No problem! Our event is the perfect chance to try something new in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Boost Your Community Spirit: Events like these strengthen the bonds within our neighborhood. Let’s show our kids the value of community.
The event is Saturday, January 24 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at Timber Lanes (1851 W Irving Park). To sign up, see our neighborhood fest page. The cost is $50 per family (up to 5 family members) and that covers the lane and shoe rental, plus snacks for the kids. Timber Lanes has a cash bar for the adults.
Get ready to experience some winter magic right here in the neighborhood!
We’re thrilled to announce a new neighborhood fixture: the Warner Park Winter Wonderland. Every evening from November 23rd until mid-January, the park will be lit up with beautiful displays from 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM.
To celebrate the launch, we are planning a neighborhood gathering this Sunday, November 23rd!
The lights will turn on at 4:30 PM, but we encourage neighbors to stop by a little early—say, 4:25 PM—to gather and share the excitement.
GWCA will provide hot chocolate to make the evening extra cozy. Mark your calendars, bundle up, and bring the family out to enjoy the lights. We can’t wait to see you there!
The GWCA Annual Street Leaf Cleanup is nearing the finish line this weekend, so get those final bags of street leaves collected by Sunday, November 23rd!
Don’t forget our Q4 community meeting at ACM (4116 N Clark) this Thursday, November 13th at 7:00 PM, featuring Via Chicago, and our council member elections.
Then…
…It’s time to don your gloves and grab your rakes! GWCA is thrilled to announce the return of our Annual Street Leaf Cleanup, an essential community effort that helps keep our neighborhood clean, safe, and beautiful all winter long.
Kickoff Event & Celebration
The cleanup officially kicks off on Saturday, November 15th, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM! Meet at Greenview and Belle Plaine, Berteau or Cullom. Please bring a rake or a dustpan to scoop leaves into bags and 3 bags. We will have extra bags at Greenview and Belle Plaine.
Join your neighbors in raking leaves from our streets and crosswalks. This short, high-energy volunteer effort is a fun way to connect with the community and make a big impact.
The kickoff will culminate in a well-deserved celebration: Pizza in Warner Park! We’ll gather at the park around 11:30 AM to share a slice and celebrate our collective hard work.
The Full Cleanup Period
While the kickoff is a fun way to start, the GWCA Street Leaf Cleanup runs from November 15th through November 23rd. We encourage all residents to continue cleaning their streets and parkways throughout this period. Streets and sanitation will pick up bagged leaves on parkways after November 23rd.
Why Your Participation Matters
The Annual Street Leaf Cleanup is a crucial part of our neighborhood’s Eco, Gardens, and Green Space initiatives. By getting street leaves into bags, we accomplish several important goals:
Reduce Flooding: Loose leaves are the primary cause of clogged storm drains, leading to standing water and basement flooding. Clearing the sewer grates is our #1 priority!
Improve Safety: Piles of wet leaves can create slippery hazards for pedestrians and drivers, especially at crosswalks and intersections.
Prepare for Winter: Removing leaves makes winter snow shoveling significantly easier.
In previous years, our incredible volunteers have collected hundreds of bags of leaves, making a noticeable difference across the entire area (Montrose, Clark, Irving Park, and Ashland borders). Let’s make this year our biggest and best cleanup yet!
Get ready for a colorful conversation that connects Chicago’s past with its future!
Our 4th Quarter Community Meeting is just around the corner, and the topic is exciting—thanks to you! Responses thus far to our Shaping Graceland West’s Future survey showed that over half of you expressed strong interest in architecture, so we’re delivering.
Join us on Thursday, November 13th, at 7:00 PM at Access Contemporary Music (ACM), 4116 N Clark.
We’re thrilled to welcome Marty Sandberg and Cristina Gallo, the principals of Via Chicago. They’ll be sharing insights on how preserving and reimagining our city’s historic buildings breathes new life into our neighborhoods. Learn how adaptive reuse connects our rich architectural legacy with a sustainable and vibrant future.
Don’t miss this chance to see how our community’s architectural heritage is being built upon!
In addition to our guests, the meeting will include elections for council members. Council members typically serve 18 month terms. If you’re interested in serving on our council, please reach out to info@gracelandwest.org.
It’s time for one last celebration of the Halloween season—the annual Pumpkin Smash!
Thanks to the incredible community spirit and effort, everyone’s commitment has made the Lake View High School location the largest smash and compost event in the city! Last year, with the help of our partners like Lake View High School, their JROTC, and the 47th Ward, we composted over 19,000 pounds of pumpkins, keeping a huge amount of organic waste out of landfills.
This year, we’re challenging ourselves to reach a new milestone: Let’s double the tonnage! Join us in this fun, eco-friendly way to green your Halloween and support the environment.
Event Details
When:Saturday, November 8, 10 am – 2 pm
Where:Lake View High School parking lot, Greenview entrance from Irving Park
How to Participate
Bring Your Pumpkins and Gourds: All decorative squashes are welcome.
Prep Your Pumpkins: Please ensure you remove stickers and candles first!
Show Your Spirit: Halloween celebrants are encouraged to wear their costumes one more time.
Go Green on Transport: We love how many neighbors biked or brought their pumpkins in Radio Flyer or other wagons—it’s the best way to get them to the smash!
Let’s beat last year’s record and make an even bigger impact on our composting efforts!
The date is set, the costumes are planned, and the caramel apples are being prepped! Just a quick reminder that the Graceland West Community Association Annual Halloween Party is happening this Saturday, October 25th, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Warner Park!
The party will be full of fantastic, free fun for all the little monsters: a Pumpkin Decorating, Costume Contest, Ghost Sack Races, Mummy Wrap games, and, of course, Halloween Caramel Candy Apples and plenty of treats.
Don’t forget to bring donations for those in need
While we love seeing creative costumes and smiling faces, the most valuable item you can bring this year is a donation for our neighbors. We are hosting a drive for Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry) to help stock their shelves for the fall and winter months.
We will have a collection point right at the entrance of the party. If you are planning to attend, please consider bringing one or more non-perishable items from their most-needed list. Your generosity makes a direct impact on local families!
We look forward to celebrating Halloween with you on Saturday and making a difference together!
Get your costumes ready, Graceland West! The annual Graceland West Community Association Halloween Party is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to see all the ghosts, goblins, heroes, and villains that show up this year!
Event Details
Date:
Saturday, October 25th
Time:
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location:
Warner Park
Cost:
FREE for all Graceland West residents and their families!
What to Expect
We’re bringing back all the fun favorites you loved last year. Join your neighbors for two hours of festive fall fun perfect for kids of all ages:
Costume Contest: Show off your creativity! We’ll have prizes for the best, most creative, and silliest costumes.
Spooky Games: Get ready for some spirited competition! We’ll have classic fun like the Ghost Sack Race and the hilarious Mummy Wrap station.
Pumpkin Decorating Station: Grab a mini-pumpkin (while supplies last) and decorate it with stickers, markers, and crafty bits to take home!
Candy & Treats: Plenty of sweets for all the little monsters, including our famous Halloween Caramel Candy Apples and other seasonal snacks!
Get Involved! (Two Ways to Support Your Community)
The success of this party—and our community—relies on your fantastic involvement!
We will be collecting non-perishable food items during the event to benefit those in need this fall.
Take Our Community Survey: We also need your input! Before the event, please take a few minutes to fill out our quick survey to share your thoughts on participating in and contributing to our community.
We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you and your family!
