Details: Bring your sticker-, candle-, wax-, ribbon-, and glitter-free jack-o’-lanterns to help us beat last year’s record of 7 tons of composted gourds! (No registration required).
2. GWCA Community Meeting (Final Meeting of 2026)
When: Tuesday, November 10 | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: The Ivy Bar & Kitchen (1625 W. Irving Park)
Key Topics:
1410–1412 W. Warner Rezoning Request: Discussing the developer proposal to change zoning from RS-3 to RM-4.5 to replace the existing 1900 2-flat with a 4-story, 6-unit residential building.
Environmental Updates: Info on two newly funded green alleys coming to Graceland West, plus details on the city’s approved Sustainable Parkway Resolution (Parkways for Pollinators).
See you tomorrow at LVHS and Tuesday evening at The Ivy!
What a night! Halloween in Graceland West was nothing short of incredible.
Thanks to our neighborhood’s first-ever Halloween Block Party permit, three blocks of Greenview Avenue were safely transformed into a festive pedestrian haven. Seeing hundreds of costumed trick-or-treaters freely running, laughing, and collecting treats without the worry of traffic made all the hard work behind the scenes completely worth it.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community
We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who made it possible:
Our Street-Closure Volunteers: A huge thank you to everyone who stepped up to park cars, place cones, and monitor our street endpoints at Montrose, Cullom, Berteau, Belle Plaine, Pensacola, Hutchinson, and Warner. Your vigilance kept all of our kids safe and the evening running smoothly.
Our Generous Neighbors: To everyone who stocked up on sweet treats and handed out thousands of pieces of candy—thank you for your incredible hospitality!
The Alderman’s Office: Thank you to the 47th Ward Alderman’s office for granting our block party permit.
Our Residents: Thank you to all neighbors along Greenview and the surrounding side streets for your cooperation, patience, and support with parking and traffic adjustments.
What to Do with Your Pumpkins: The LVHS Pumpkin Smash
Now that Halloween has passed and it’s time to clean up the front porch, don’t let your jack-o’-lanterns end up in a landfill.
Join us and University of Illinois Extension for a free, fun, and eco-friendly Pumpkin Smash right here in the neighborhood at Lake View High School.
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Lake View High School (Chicago, IL)
Cost: Free (no registration required)
How to Prepare Your Pumpkins:
Before you bring your pumpkins down to smash and turn into nutrient-rich compost, please remember to:
Remove all non-organic items: Take out candles, wax, ribbons, plastic, yarn, and glitter.
Check for paint: Remove any artificial decorations or painted sections unless water-based.
Composting diverted organic waste reduces greenhouse gas emissions and keeps our city greener. Drop by Saturday to smash your jack-o’-lanterns into compost.
Thank you again to everyone for making Halloween in Graceland West so safe, memorable, and fun!
Neighborhood Cleanup Led by local high school student Jay Gillman, to tidy up key areas around the neighborhood including the LVHS field, playlot, parking lot, and adjacent parkways.
After the cleanup, we’ll walk over to Warner Park to relax, grab a slice of pizza and meet your neighbors AND we’ll include a 10 minute 3rd Quarter GWCA meeting for members to vote on two GWCA Council positions.
Brad Pierce
Belle Plane and Greenview
4100 N Greenview Ave Chicago,
IL
60613United States+ Google Map
Make a Difference in Our Neighborhood – Tuesday, August 25th!
Next week, we’re coming together for a neighborhood cleanup, and some well-deserved pizza.
Whether you have 15 minutes or can stay for the whole hour, your hands will help us make our neighborhood cleaner.
Details
When: Tuesday, August 25th | 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Where to Meet: The Traffic Circle at Belle Plaine & Greenview (adjacent to Lake View High School)
What to Bring: Just yourself! (We’ll have everything you need.)
Schedule
5:30 PM – Neighborhood Cleanup – Led by local high school student Jay Gillman, we’ll head out to tidy up key areas around the neighborhood including the LVHS field, playlot, parking lot, and adjacent parkways
6:15 PM – Pizza in Warner Park -After we wrap up, walk over to Warner Park to relax, grab a slice of pizza and meet your neighbors AND we’ll include a 10 minute 3rd Quarter GWCA meeting for members to vote on two GWCA Council positions
Why Come? It’s a fantastic way to get outdoors, meet your neighbors, support local youth leadership, and help keep our community looking its best, plus, free pizza on us!
Just a quick reminder that Yoga in the Park kicks off tomorrow, Sunday, August 9, from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM in Warner Park and Gardens!
Join us and our instructor, Devyn Kerpan, for a refreshing morning flow in the fresh air. Don’t forget to grab your mat, a water bottle, and a towel to place under your mat. We can’t wait to see you on the grass!
Exciting News for the Lake View High School Field
New nets have replaced torn nets on LVHS field. Looks great and just in time for the ’26-’27 school year! Thank you to Alderman Martin for securing this safety funding. Hopefully the high-flying scooter was harvested from the old net and returned to the rightful owner!
Don’t miss out on our conversation with Robert Loerzel about The Uptown Theatre, a topic that always sparks a lot of nostalgia and curiosity for Chicagoans.
This Tuesday, March 10th at 7:00 PM, join GWCA at Quantum LEEP Academy (1447 W. Montrose Ave). Robert will be sharing stories from his new book, The Uptown: Chicago’s Endangered Movie Palace, co-authored with James A. Pierce.
Looking Ahead: Celebrate Pi Day at Lake View High School
On Saturday, March 14 (Pi Day!) from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Lake View High School opens its doors for STEM Day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to step inside our local high school and witness the incredible work being done by neighborhood students. From high-tech robotics to the mysteries of forensic science, come see the future of innovation right here in our backyard.
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!
Everyone’s efforts have made this pumpkin smash location one of the largest smash and compost events in the city. Let’s double the tonnage this year! Saturday, November 8, 10 am – 2 pm at Lake View High School parking lot, Greenview entrance from Irving Park. Halloween celebrants are encouraged to wear their costumes one more time. Bring pumpkins and gourds. Remove stickers and candles first.
Thursday, June 19 | Time: 6–7:30 PM | Location: Warner Park & Gardens (1444 W Warner)
Join the Graceland West Community Association for an evening of updates, conversation, environmental inspiration, and a delicious summer solstice potluck. Let’s come together to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and look ahead to what’s next.
Meeting Agenda Highlights
Annual Environmental Program & ECO Updates We’ll hear from:
Olivia Reda of Alliance for the Great Lakes on microplastics, health, and the actions we can take.
Kevin Serena of EXO Building Solutions will discuss green roof and water proofing solutions.
Our GWCA ECO Committee on our growing network of 14 native plant pollinator and stormwater absorption sites, including two new ones at Lake View High School planted by JROTC.
Updates on our Earth Week ’55 projects including our first ever Celebration of Cycling, the Pollinator sites at LVHS and the Warner Park Kid’s Pollinator site.
Garden Walk Planning Calling all gardeners! Our 43rd Annual Garden Walk is coming up on Sunday, July 27. Want to help organize it, show your garden or just be part of the fun? Come learn more and sign up!
Council Election Three of your neighbors—Bruce, Colin, and Janice—are running to serve on the GWCA Council. Interested in joining too? Let us know! (Eligible voting members must reside in the neighborhood and be current on dues.)
Community Thanks & Neighborhood Projects
Big thanks to volunteers helping with bioswales and traffic circles—your work helps reduce flooding and beautify the neighborhood.
We’re also fundraising to support continued planting at Lake View High School—every dollar helps create more green spaces.
Summer Solstice Potluck
Bring a dish to share, your own beverage + container, and reusable utensils. The pot luck will begin as soon as the meeting concludes. We’d love help setting up tables at 5:25 PM and putting them away at 7:30 PM. Volunteers are also needed to help run the potluck!
