Tag: meeting

Categories
Events & Announcements

August Community Meeting & Welcoming Access Contemporary Music

Our August 12 GWCA Community Meeting at 7 PM is a special one! We’ll be gathering at the new home of Access Contemporary Music (ACM) at 4116 N. Clark.

ACM’s Executive Director, composer, and musician Seth Boustead, is hosting an exclusive open house for Graceland West residents. He’ll even perform a short piano piece for us! This is a fantastic opportunity to be among the first to see the transformation of the former 7-Eleven into ACM’s new space and officially welcome them to the neighborhood.

GWCA is represented by both the 46th and 47th Wards. 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay will attend to welcome ACM and answer any Ward questions Graceland West 46th Ward residents may have. (Residents/businesses on the 1300 block of Irving Park, 4000 block of Clark, and east side of the 4000/4100 blocks of Southport are in the 46th Ward).

In addition to this exciting welcome, GWCA members will also vote on three council seats. We hope to see you there to participate in shaping our community and to give a warm Graceland West welcome to Seth and ACM! You’ll also catch Seth at our Graceland West Neighborhood Fest on Saturday, September 13, from 3-8 PM in the 4100 block of Greenview.

Categories
Events & Announcements Garden Walk

Summer Updates: Garden Walk, GWCA Meeting & 19th Police District Council

Graceland West Garden Walk

Get ready for our 43rd Annual Graceland West Garden Walk! Join us on Sunday, July 27, from 1 to 5 PM.

You can find maps of participating gardens on our website, gracelandwest.org. For physical maps, more information, and to chat with Master Gardeners, head over to Warner Park & Gardens.

What’s New This Year:

We’re excited to feature two new Native Plant Pollinator Pathway & Stormwater Absorption Sites at Lake View High School. This fantastic addition is a collaborative effort with the Junior ROTC at LVHS, Friends of Lakeview, and GWCA. Plus, our Kids Pollinator Site at Warner Park is thriving and growing!

Volunteer Opportunities:

We are still looking for help to make this year’s Garden Walk a success! If you’re able to assist with set-up or put-away at Warner Park, please reach out to info@gracelandwest.org.

August Community Meeting & Welcoming Access Contemporary Music

Our August 12 GWCA Community Meeting at 7 PM is a special one! We’ll be gathering at the new home of Access Contemporary Music (ACM) at 4116 N. Clark.

ACM’s Executive Director, composer, and musician Seth Boustead, is hosting an exclusive open house for Graceland West residents. He’ll even perform a short piano piece for us! This is a fantastic opportunity to be among the first to see the transformation of the former 7-Eleven into ACM’s new space and officially welcome them to the neighborhood.

GWCA is represented by both the 46th and 47th Wards. 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay will attend to welcome ACM and answer any Ward questions Graceland West 46th Ward residents may have. (Residents/businesses on the 1300 block of Irving Park, 4000 block of Clark, and east side of the 4000/4100 blocks of Southport are in the 46th Ward).

In addition to this exciting welcome, GWCA members will also vote on three council seats. We hope to see you there to participate in shaping our community and to give a warm Graceland West welcome to Seth and ACM! You’ll also catch Seth at our Graceland West Neighborhood Fest on Saturday, September 13, from 3-8 PM in the 4100 block of Greenview.

TODAY – 19th Police District Council Meeting: Conflict Resolution & Community Safety

Join the 19th Police District Council this Wednesday, July 23, at 6:30 PM at Alcott Elementary School (2625 N. Orchard St.) for their monthly meeting. This month’s meeting focuses on mediation – a powerful, free, and non-violent way to resolve disputes without involving the police or courts.

The Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR), a Chicago-based organization that has provided mediation services for over 40 years, will be covering everything from landlord-tenant issues to family disputes.

Dignity Best Practices, an organization dedicated to building field mediation programs where trained, unarmed first responders handle certain 911 calls involving conflicts will also be presenting. They helped launch a successful program in Dayton, Ohio, and are now working to help other cities create similar public safety resources.

RSVP here to join and learn about these valuable community resources!

Categories
Events & Announcements

Final Reminder: GWCA Summer Meeting & Potluck is Tomorrow!

Don’t forget—our Graceland West Community Meeting is Tomorrow, Thursday, June 19
6:00–7:30 PM
Warner Park & Gardens, 1444 W Warner

We’ll be covering important neighborhood updates, electing new council members, sharing exciting environmental wins—and wrapping it all up with a Summer Solstice Potluck!

Bring:

  • A dish to share
  • Your own beverage + container
  • Reusable utensils
  • A neighbor or two!

Come early at 5:25 PM if you’re able to help set up tables.
Stay a few minutes after 7:30 PM to help pack them away.

This is a great opportunity to connect with neighbors, shape our community’s future, and enjoy a beautiful summer evening in the park.

See you Thursday!

Categories
Events & Announcements Garden Walk Green Council

You’re Invited: GWCA Summer Meeting & Potluck – June 19

Community Meeting + Summer Solstice Potluck
Thursday, June 19 | 6–7:30 PM
Warner Park & Gardens (1444 W Warner Ave)

Agenda includes:

  • Our Annual Environmental Program with guest speaker Olivia Reda from Alliance for the Great Lakes
  • A discussion on green roofing with Kevin Serena of EXO Building Solutions
  • Updates on garden walk planning, pollinator projects, and Earth Week ‘55 successes
  • Election of new GWCA Council members

Then stick around for the potluck! Bring a dish to share, your own drink + container, and reusable utensils.

This is a great chance to meet neighbors, get involved, and help shape our green, connected community.

Categories
Events & Announcements Green Council

Join Us for Our Summer Community Meeting + Potluck!

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!

How You Can Get Involved

Reach out to info@gracelandwest.org to:

  • Help organize or participate in the Garden Walk
  • Volunteer for bioswale cleanups or potluck setup
  • Join the Council or serve as a Block Rep
  • Donate to support our native plant and stormwater projects

Let’s keep Graceland West beautiful, green and connected.
We can’t wait to see you on June 19 at Warner Park!

Categories
Events & Announcements

Meeting Tonight, Featuring Jensen Allen from Graceland Cemetery and 46th Alderwoman Clay

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:

  1. Welcome and Introductions
  2. Neighborhood Updates and review of full GWCA 2025 calendar
  3. GWCA Budget Review and Council Election
  4. Virtual Guest: 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay
  5. Guest: Seth Boustead, Executive Director of Access Contemporary Music
  6. Guest Speaker: Jensen Allen from Graceland Cemetery
  7. 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
Categories
Events & Announcements

Did you know? Graceland West is in both the 46th & 47th wards!

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.

Categories
Events & Announcements

Are you curious about historic Graceland Cemetery & Arboretum?

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!

Q4 2025 Community Meeting

November 13, 2025 @ 7:00 pm – 7:55 pm

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.

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.

Access Contemporary Music

4116 N Clark St.
Chicago, Illinois 60613 United States + Google Map

Q2 2025 Community Meeting + Potluck

June 19, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

This season’s meeting includes:



Our Annual Environmental Program with guest speaker Olivia Reda from Alliance for the Great Lakes

A discussion on green roofing with Kevin Serena of EXO Building Solutions

Election of new GWCA Council members

Exciting updates on garden walk planning, pollinator projects, and Earth Week ‘55 successes

Then stick around for the potluck! Bring a dish to share, your own drink + container, and reusable utensils.

We need volunteers to help set up at 5:25 PM and clean up after the meeting.

This is a great chance to meet neighbors, get involved, and help shape our green, connected community.

GWCA

View Organizer Website

Access Contemporary Music

4116 N Clark St.
Chicago, Illinois 60613 United States + Google Map
Verified by MonsterInsights