RAIN BARRELS & PARKWAY GARDENS

September 11, Tuesday at 6PM

Sulzer Library Auditorium, 4455 N. Lincoln Avenue

Experts will demonstration rain barrels and discuss how to create corner, parkway and rain gardens.

FALL BULBS & SEED GATHERING

October 16, Tuesday at 6PM

47th Ward Office, 4243 N. Lincoln Avenue

Experts discuss planting fall bulbs and how to do seed gathering.

Dear Gentle Readers,

Please help support Chappell School's Donor Drive! (flyer & form)

We just heard about Ravenswood Elementary School's new website --> http://ravenswoodelementary.org. Rumor has it you can find these valuable bits of information! The unifed school calendar, important school forms, the school's lunch menus and procedures, a list of "Shop for Ravenswood" merchants, a new electronics communications subscription option and a convenient Google-powered language preference options.

ATTENTION! ... Is There a Block Party in your Future?

There have been almost 150 block parties in our ward this summer!

It is not too late for you to have a block party this year. There are many beautiful weekends ahead for you and your neighbors to have a fun day together.

This comes from the 2400 block of Pensacola:
 Beside our traditional pie contest, mojitos, kids games, neighborhood raffle and pet parade, to say nothing of Bob & Sarah's awesome sidewalk arcade!, we added sidewalk chalk art and a book swap to the mix.   We even raised a little money for our new Corner Gardens.

The 2500 block of Hutchinson is creating history:
 These neighbors have been decorating white sheet banners for many years. The children can see how their handiwork has evolved over time. They hang these colorful banners across the street. They have formed a neighborhood singing group and they entertain everyone with their sweet harmony.

Our neighbors on the 1900 block of Warner have a generous idea:

We will be collecting school supplies at our block party for the 47th ward school supply drive.  I wondered if any other blocks had been doing so.  It seems like an excellent way to help out the community and make a difference all while having fun with neighbors.  Food drives seem like they would also be a great idea at block parties.  We all have such a great time at these events, but we have neighbors in our community in need as well.

Would you like to have a Halloween block party? Plan one for October 27 or 28, Saturday or Sunday from 8am - 10pm, or on October 31-Wednesday from 3:30pm - 7:30pm. Preference will be given to blocks that have not had a block party this year. The forms are on our website. We do have to consider traffic and closures so please get your paperwork in soon. Maybe you could combine with a neighboring block for even more Halloween fun?

As always I am pleased to hear from you at dara@chicago47.org .... Dara

47th Ward homeowners are now eligible for the up to $1,750 rebate to take energy efficiency steps in their own homes. To receive the rebate, homeowners call Energy Impact Illinois at 855-9-IMPACT. Energy Impact Illinois then helps determine eligible rebates, and links homeowners to certified contractors who can assess and estimate the right mix of air sealing and insulation projects that will achieve savings. For more information, 47th Ward homeowners can call 855-9-IMPACT. Homeowners can also visit the website TheEnergyBills.org for tools and links to contractor resources to help take the first steps to lowering energy bills and increasing comfort of your home.

Third grade teachers at Audubon Elementary School are looking for donations of gently used children's magazines, including Highlights, SI for Kids, National Geographic, Cricket, American Girl, Stone Soup, and anything else you have. These can be used for years to come. They have placed a labeled box outside the school office at 3500 N. Hoyne (773-534-5470) in which you can drop off magazines throughout the rest of the summer and the beginning of the school year.

Check out the new infrastructure map on our webpage!

Water Mains for W. Eastwood, Damen to Leavitt

City crews are replacing this old 1891 main, expecting completion in late August. To see the residents' notice click here. 

Peoples Gas Main Replacement

Connecting the new main to individual buildings begins soon on Irving Park, Lincoln and Ravenswood. Parking restrictions posted. 

Metra Traffic Closures and Detours  

• Work on the bridge at Ravenswood and Winnemac will continue through early November.  
• 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 Berenice has parking restrictions from Lincoln to Ravenswood to accommodate two-way traffic until Ravenswood is reopened.
• Parking restrictions and detours may be opened, when possible, and re-closed once work is ready to resume. 

For more information, visit the infrastructure section of our  website or contact Bill Higgins at bill@chicago47.org or 773-549-2745.