GWCA is hosting a Celebration of Cycling from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Saturday, April 26 at Lake View High School, and we’d love your help! The event will feature a bike donation + swap, bike decorating, an obstacle course for kids, and a bike parade through the neighborhood—all aimed at dusting off the pedals and showcasing our bike infrastructure.
We’re looking for volunteers at the event. If you can help, reach out to info@gracelandwest.org. Even a little help goes a long way in making it a success!
If you live in Graceland West, you should have received your 2025 LV2 sticker and guest pass in the mail. Remove last year’s sticker and place the new sticker on the passenger side of your windshield as soon as possible. For more information about LV2, please see the Alderman’s helpful Parking page.
Important Reminder: As of 2023, the LV2 zone expanded to include parking restrictions for all Cubs home games and Wrigley Field concerts. Through 2022 it did not apply to day game dates. This means that when there is a day game, don’t forget to have guests display your guest pass after the game, between 5 and 10 PM.
Our first 47th Ward Street Sweeping is scheduled for April 17 and 18. The 47th Ward section is Montrose to Irving from Ashland to the west side of Southport. This part of the neighborhood receives four street sweepings a year.
April 17th and 18th
June 13th and 16th
August 12th and 13th
October 8th and 9th
The last sweeping is well before the final leaves will fall which is why we’ll be having our 13th annual volunteer street leaf cleanup in November. More Street Sweeping info can be found here.
Our first 46th Ward Street Sweeping is scheduled for April 9th and 10th. The 46th Ward section includes Warner to Irving from the east side of Southport to Clark. This part of the neighborhood receives eight street sweepings.
April 9th and 10th
May 7th and 8th
June 5th and 6th
July 7th and 8th
Aug 4th and 5th
Sept 2nd and 3rd
Sept 30th and Oct 1st
Oct 29th and 30th
For the 46th Ward you can find more Street Sweeping information on here.
On Tuesday April 8th and Thursday April 10th, our students will be engaged in high-stakes testing from roughly 8am until 1pm. While we’re generally glad to have children play in our playground during school hours, during those two time periods, we’d really appreciate quiet so that students can focus on their ACT and Pre-ACT testing.
We will be posting signs on the playground asking community members not to use the space during those two times.
Paul J. Karafiol, Ed.D. Principal Lake View High School
Heavy rains can leave behind standing water and puddles, creating inconvenience and potential hazards in our neighborhood. Fortunately, bioswales help mitigate these issues by capturing and filtering stormwater, reducing runoff, and preventing flooding. Here in Graceland West, we are fortunate to have several bioswales that play a crucial role in managing water flow and keeping our streets drier during rain events.
Bioswales function by using vegetation and soil to slow down and absorb rainwater, filtering out pollutants before the water reaches the sewer system or natural waterways. These green infrastructure elements are designed with a gentle slope and deep-rooted plants that help capture excess rainwater, reducing strain on storm drains and improving overall water quality.
However, bioswales don’t maintain themselves! These natural drainage solutions require ongoing care to remain effective, and that’s where community support comes in. Recently, a dedicated group of volunteers—Colin, Teddi, Linda, and Kim—came together to revitalize the bioswale at 4200 N Clark St (Clark and Berteau). Their efforts included clearing debris, which helps maintain proper water flow and prevents blockages, refreshing plant life, and ensuring the bioswale remains a functional and attractive part of our neighborhood.
The native plants are already sprouting and birds are finding earthworms there.
If you’d like to get involved in maintaining our bioswales, keep an eye out for future volunteer opportunities and review our Stormwater Solutions page! Small efforts from community members help keep our neighborhood beautiful and resilient.
We’re excited to support Truman College—where our former GWCA council member, Joanne Yonan, now works—through two meaningful initiatives this spring.
Business Attire Clothing Drive (March 22–31) Joanne is collecting gently used business attire for Truman College students to wear to job interviews. If you have professional clothing you’re no longer using, this is a great way to give it a second life while helping students take a big step toward their careers. Students will present their Truman IDs to select clothing.
To donate, please contact Joanne Yonan directly at jsyonan@gmail.com to arrange drop-off.
Blood Drive at Truman College (April 23) GWCA has partnered on blood drives before, and we’re proud to support this upcoming one at Truman College. It’s a simple way to make a life-saving difference in our community.
Location: Harry S Truman College 1145 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Let’s show our Graceland West spirit and support Joanne and the students of Truman College!
Join Us TONIGHT, March 13th for the GWCA Quarterly Meeting
We’re excited to invite all Graceland West neighbors to our GWCA Quarterly Meeting. Below is the full agenda for the evening:
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM Location: Quantum LEEP Academy, 1447 W Montrose Ave
Agenda:
Welcome and Introductions
Neighborhood Updates and review of full GWCA 2025 calendar
GWCA Budget Review and Council Election
Virtual Guest: 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay
Guest: Seth Boustead, Executive Director of Access Contemporary Music
Guest Speaker: Jensen Allen from Graceland Cemetery
Open Forum and Other Community Announcements
We encourage all residents, whether in the 46th or 47th Ward, to attend this meeting. Your participation is vital in shaping the future of Graceland West. Come, engage, and be a part of the conversation that makes our community thrive.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, IL – Daniel Burnham’s Grave. Photo credit: Linda Oyama Bryan
Many neighbors may not realize that Graceland West spans both the 46th and 47th Wards—which means we have two alderpeople representing different parts of our community. This unique positioning gives us the opportunity to work with both offices on neighborhood improvements, infrastructure projects, and local initiatives.
To help highlight this, we’re excited to (virtually) welcome 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay to our GWCA Quarterly Meeting this Thursday, March 13! This is a great opportunity, hear about issues affecting our ward, and ask questions about city services, development, and more.
We’ll also be sharing important updates on neighborhood projects and upcoming events, so whether you’re in the 46th or 47th Ward, we look forward to seeing you there.
As previously announced, you also won’t want to miss our main speaker, Jensen Allen from the Graceland Cemetery and Arboretum. Seth Boustead, Executive Director of Access Contemporary Music will also be joining us for an update on their plans for the long vacant former 7-Eleven space on Clark. Finally, GWCA Members will discuss and vote on the 2025 Budget and Council Election.
Date: Thursday, March 13 Location: Quantum LEEP Academy, 1447 W Montrose Ave. Time: 7:00 to 8:15 PM
Check out the map below to see how our neighborhood is divided between the two wards.
Graceland West is bounded by Irving Park to the south, Ashland to the West, Montrose to the north and Clark to the east. In 2022 ward boundaries were redrawn and the portion of Graceland West east of Southport became part of the 46th ward.
We’re excited to welcome special guest Jensen Allen from Graceland Cemetery & Arboretum for our next GWCA Quarterly Meeting on March 13th! Jensen who will share insights and stories about Graceland’s past, present and future in our community and answer any questions you have about our neighbor to the east.
Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, IL. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan
The event will be graciously hosted by Lorell Marin and Quantum LEEP Academy at 1447 West Montrose Ave. We’ll get started at 7:00 PM and finish up by 8:15.
In addition to Jensen Allen, we’ll also be joined by Seth Boustead, Executive Director, Access Contemporary Music who will update us on the renovation of the former 7-Eleven.
Alderwoman Clay from the 46th Ward will join also us virtually. The portion of Graceland West between Southport, Clark and Irving Park is in the 46th Ward.
Finally, we’ll be sharing key updates on neighborhood initiatives, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved. Whether you’re a longtime resident or new to the area, this is your chance to stay informed and help shape the future of Graceland West.
Beyond the updates and guest speaker, our quarterly meetings are a great way to meet active members of the community—neighbors who care about making Graceland West an even better place to live. Whether you’re looking to get involved or just want to stay in the loop, we’d love to see you there!
While winter holds us in its grip, let’s warm up with a look at the incredible work our GWCA Environmental Committee accomplished in 2024! From planting native shrubs to launching pollinator gardens, our dedicated volunteers have been working year-round to make Graceland West greener and more sustainable.
Growing Green Spaces
Earth Day 2024: Volunteers planted three native shrubs in key locations, bringing more biodiversity to our neighborhood.
Pollinator & Stormwater Sites: Three new native plant pollinator pathway and stormwater absorption sites were developed, increasing our total to 11 active locations. Native plants provide habitat for birds, bees, butterflies and beneficial insects. And each site absorbs over 2,000 gallons of stormwater annually via native plant root systems and by returning stormwater to the aquifer.
Kids Pollinator Garden: A new children’s garden at Warner Park & Gardens is in the works to engage young environmental stewards.
Advocacy & Community Engagement
Committee members continue working with elected officials and local groups on stormwater management solutions, including the possibility of green alleys for Graceland West.
At the Annual Environmental Meeting, guest speaker Judy Pollock of the Chicago Bird Alliance shared insights on bird-friendly gardening, followed by a community potluck.
Composting & Leaf Cleanup
Pumpkin Smash 2024: Thanks to collaboration with Lake View High School, their JROTC, the 47th Ward, other partners and your support, over 19,000 lbs. of pumpkins were composted – 40% of the total city-wide!
Annual Street Leaf Cleanup: Volunteers collected 216 bags of leaves to reduce flooding, improve pedestrian safety, and make winter shoveling easier.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for another impactful year, we invite you to get involved! Whether it’s joining a planting day, attending an environmental meeting, or simply spreading the word, every effort helps make our neighborhood a greener place.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming initiatives, including our new pollinator garden sites and kids planting day, a celebration of cycling for Earth Week 2025, and the next Pumpkin Smash.
Want to help? Email us at info@gracelandwest.org to learn more.
Many of you may already be familiar with the exciting news that Access Contemporary Music (ACM) has officially begun construction on its new home at the former 7-Eleven site in Lakeview. The long-vacant lot at 4116 N. Clark St. is being transformed into ACM’s first dedicated performance and education space, marking a major milestone for the organization and the local arts community.
ACM, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing contemporary classical music to wider audiences, has been a staple in Chicago for years. This new venue will house a music school, rehearsal spaces, and a performance hall, creating a vibrant hub for musicians and music lovers alike. For our community, the renovation signals not only an investment in the arts but also a revitalization of a long-empty property that will now serve as a center for creativity and learning.
As construction gets underway, ACM is committed to keeping neighbors informed and engaged. If you haven’t already seen the recent coverage, check out these articles from WBEZ and Block Club Chicago for more details on their plans and vision:
We’ll continue to provide updates as ACM’s renovation progresses, your next opportunity to find out more about the renovation will be at our March 13th Meeting where we’ll be joined by Seth Bousted, ACM Executive Director.
ACM is currently enrolling students for Spring and Summer piano and voice lessons at this location.
