Infrastructure Update   

Check out the new infrastructure map on our webpage!

W. Eastwood Avenue from Damen to Leavitt

Until late August, the Dept. of Water Management (DWM) will be replacing the old 1891 water main under Eastwood Avenue between Damen and Leavitt. To see the residents' notice click here. 

N. Wayne Avenue from Irving Park to 600 Feet South

The sewer main under the 3900 block of Wayne Avenue is currently being replaced by DWM private contractors and the concrete base course has been laid at the road is open to traffic.  There are some final touches to connect for DWM and other utilities.  The final restoration will be scheduled once all the final connections have been made. To see the residents' notice click here. 

W. Montrose Avenue from Lake Shore Drive to Damen

DONE!

Peoples Gas Main Replacement

Construction crews from Peoples Gas and their contractor Northern Pipeline continue their multi-year gas main replacement project in the 47th Ward. Sod has now been laid (grass seed in some instances) in a number of areas throughout the ward to restore damage to city parkways. Please remember the tips on our website to care for your sod once it has been installed. 

Metra Track and Bridge Construction along Ravenswood 

• Montrose: Frame, Reinforce and Pour Abutments; unforeseen delays in concrete work have caused the closure to be extended
• Wilson: Install Structural Steel
• West Side Ravenswood- Irving Park to Berteau (Wall 9): Drill, Set and Pour Soldier Beams/Install Lagging
• West Side Ravenswood- Grace to Irving Park (Wall 10): Demo existing crib wall
• Lawrence: Install Temporary Platform (in Sears Parking Lot) and Install SOE

Metra Traffic Closures and Detours 

• Montrose full closure will continue, possibly through 7/27/12    
• Lawrence Ave. partial closure will take place on Saturday, July 21
• Wilson Detours will continue until August 2012.
• Irving Park to Berteau Detours will be up until November 2012.
• Grace to Irving Park Detours will be up until November 2012.
• Parking has been restricted between the CTA tracks and Ravenswood on all streets from Grace to Berteau to accommodate u-turns while the road is closed.  The south side of Bernice has parking restrictions from Lincoln to Ravenswood to accommodate two-way traffic until Ravenswood is reopened.

Lycée Français School is moving forward on the demolition at the old Ravenswood Hospital at 1931 W. Wilson.  Lycée Français hosted a meeting with community members a couple of weeks ago to discuss the timetable for demolition.  They emailed folks who had expressed interest in being involved during demolition and construction at previous meetings.  If you would like to be included on the committee, please email Jim at jim@chicago47.org and he will forward your information to Lycée Français. 

American Demolition Corporation will be performing the work to demolish the two buildings owned by Lycée Français.  American Demolition has obtained permits to remove the fire escapes from both buildings.  This should happen in the next two weeks to help prevent further break-ins.   

Abestos abatement is expected to begin in the tower in the third week of July.  This will involve the placement of critical barriers as crews strip everything but the structural elements from the building so that our neighborhood is not contaminated with harmful substances during demolition.  This work should be completed in the tower sometime around Labor Day and in the other building a few weeks afterward.

Beginning around Labor Day, crews will begin to demolish the tower.  This will take place in stages.  American Demolition will stage their equipment in the lot behind the tower and will access the site via Sunnyside from Damen Ave.  They will not be using Winchester or other residential streets for their trucks.

American Demolition is going to exterminate rodents in the buildings ahead of demolition as is required by the municipal code.  The 47th Ward Office will issue rodent baiting requests for surrounding areas in August to help abate rodents in the area.   

During the demolition, the site will be fenced including at the intersection at Winchester and Sunnyside for some portion of the work.  The alley side of the building will also be closed periodically during demolition, but these closures should be short-term and minimally disruptive. If all goes well the entire site will be demolished by January, but should complications arise the work could go into February.

Lycée Français is planning to begin construction on their new campus in early 2014.  That means that the site will be inactive for about a year.  They are planning on opening the new school in the Fall of 2015 and hope to complete construction by the spring of 2015.   

We will continue to work closely with Lycée Français and the community throughout this process.  The next community committee meeting should be sometime before Labor Day.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jim Poole in the 47th Ward Office at jim@chicago47.org.  To see more information on this project, please visit our website. 

The City of Chicago Department of Public Health offered health tips to avoid injury and illness especially helpful over the next few days and into the 4th of July Weekend.

STAY COOL, STAY HYDRATED, STAY INDOORS

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and ensure that children stay well hydrated;
• Wear loose, light cotton clothing;
• Avoid or minimize physical exertion and direct exposure to the sun;
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses;
• Do not let anyone sit in a hot, parked car, not even for a few minutes;
• Visit one of the City's temporary cooling centers. Call 3-1-1 to find the closest one.
• Sign up for extreme weather alerts by visiting www.AlertChicago.com and clicking on the Notify Chicago.

FOOD SAFETY - for cookouts and picnics, temperature is key to avoiding foodborne illness.

• Use a meat thermometer to make sure all meat and poultry are properly cooked - ground beef hamburgers to 160°F and hot dogs to 165°F
• Use a clean plate when taking food off the grill
• Keep hot food hot (140°F or above), and cold food cold (40°F or below)
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours

The symptoms of most types of food poisoning include severe cramps, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.  Symptoms can begin from 30 minutes to three or more days after eating contaminated food. If symptoms are severe or last longer than two days, contact a doctor or health care provider.

WATER SAFETY - whether at the beach, on the lake or in a swimming pool, take safety precautions.

• Supervise young children around water
• Avoid alcohol while supervising children and before or during swimming, boating, or waterskiing
• Always use life jackets and secure personal flotation devices - do not substitute air-filled or foam toys for safety gear
• Shower before enter a swimming pool and do not swim if you have diarrhea
• Be aware of the local weather conditions and forecast, especially watch for thunderstorms with lightening
• Know and obey the posted warnings that indicate beach conditions
• Pay attention to lifeguards or posted instructions.

SUN AND HEAT SAFETY- protect yourself against sunburn and heat illness.

• Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes before going outside
• Increase your fluids - drink more liquid than your thirst indicates; avoid alcohol
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loosing-fitting clothing
• Heat exhaustion symptoms - heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, clammy skin, pale or flushed complexion, and fast and shallow breathing
• Heat exhaustion treatment - move the person to a cooler place; remove or loosen tight clothing; and apply cool, wet cloths; give cool water to slowly drink
• Heat stroke symptoms - hot, dry skin, hallucinations, chills, throbbing headache, high body temperature, confusion/dizziness and slurred speech
• Heat stroke treatment - call 911; quickly cool the person in a cool bath or wrap wet sheets around them; if the victim refuses water, is vomiting or shows a decreased level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink

Rep. Ann Williams in the 47th Ward Office  

11th District State Representative Ann M. Williams' staff will be at the 47th Ward office on July 24th, Tuesday from 3PM to 6PM, to answer any questions you may have regarding the many issues facing the state, such as pension reform, Medicaid reform and overall fiscal health, and to hear how you would like Rep. Williams to vote on these very important issues. Also, her office can assist if you have any issues or have been unable to get a question answered involving a state agency such as available state mortgage foreclosure relief options, unemployment insurance and DHS issues. If you have any urgent state matters that need to be addressed, please contact Rep. Williams' office at 773-880-9082 or visit www.repannwilliams.com.

Game Nights at Sulzer Library 

The Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave, sponsors a monthly Game Night for all ages. There are board games and card games such as Scrabble, Clue, Apples to Apples, Uno and Flux for various age groups. Come on your own or bring family and friends. If you have a favorite game, bring it and we'll find someone to play it with you. Children are welcome.

The next three scheduled Game Nights are Monday, July 16, from 6:30p.m.  to 8:30 p.m., Monday, August 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Tuesday, September 11, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

The Partners for Clean Air and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) have issued an Air Pollution Action Day alertfor the Chicago Metropolitan area for Friday, July 6th.  High temperatures and low wind speeds may trap air pollutants resulting in increased and unhealthy levels of ozone and particulate matter for sensitive populations in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Individuals with respiratory or pulmonary disorders as well as active children and adults should take special precautions and follow their physician-prescribed regimen. Residents should keep cool and limit physical activity.

You can help decrease air pollution on Air Pollution Action Days by taking the following "green actions:"

• Ride public transit, carpool, walk or bike.
• If you must drive, avoid idling, consolidate errands and run them after 7 p.m. when sunlight is not as strong.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Raise your thermostat at least 2 degrees.
• Turn off and unplug any electronics not in use.
• Use environmentally-friendly household and cleaning products.
• Avoid using gasoline-powered equipment.
• When grilling, use a charcoal chimney or gas grill instead of lighter fluid.

The Department of Health works closely with the IEPA to monitor local air quality conditions.  It is possible that additional Air Pollution Action Days may be called.  Check your local daily air quality forecast or sign-up to receive notices via email at www.cleantheair.org.

1. Protection from Heat in Cars - don't leave pets in a car alone - EVER!
2. Proper Outdoor Housing and Water - that means shade.
3. Protection from Over-Exertion -  panting, disorientation, anxious expression, weakness - lower their temperature gradually & call the vet.
4. Hot Asphalt and Feet Protection - keep to the sidewalk or grass.
5. Beach and Water Safety -  don't throw your dog in the water, start in shallow water, never leave them unattended.
6. Safety in Travel - fresh water, bowl, ice-packs in their crate, sunshade on the car windows, spray bottle with water to cool him down.
7. Parasite Prevention - heartworm happens even in the city.
8. Plan Ahead for Summer Vacations - plan ahead, arrange for careful, responsible care. It will bring peace of mind. 

Feel free to send us your upcoming community events so we can include them in our newsletter.

Do you have a suggestion or comment for Ald. Pawar? Please contact our office at 773-868-4747 or email info@chicago47.org.