Support the 47th Ward's rising gem for public, fine arts-focused education. Black & White for Green will set the mood as the Ravenswood Elementary School community gathers at DANK Haus in Lincoln Square on Saturday, March 16, from 6:30 to 11:00 p.m., for our 5th annual Spring Forward celebration and auction. Hosted by Friends of Ravenswood School, guests will enjoy this year's theme with gourmet food, a signature drink, décor, event favors, and the crisp stylings of live classical guitar. Show Ravenswood unity by wearing--you guessed it-black, white, or both. That's ladies and gents. Go for dressy cocktail garb. Your best accessory? Green! That is, your generous donation to the deserving students and teachers at their highly ranked, diversely populated school. In addition to the live auction that evening, they'll kick off their online silent auction beginning that weekend, which allows them to bring in even more family, friends, and neighbors to help their rising school, located at the corners of Paulina and Montrose. Get information and event tickets, or make a cash or auction donation, by visiting ravenswoodelementary.org. Click on the Spring Forward button on the home page. Check back for an auction preview on the site in early March. Thank you! With neighborhood help, Spring Forward has raised a cumulative $130,000 put right to work in Ravenswood's classrooms.

The Albany Park Community Center (APCC) was founded in 1975 and has grown to one of the largest social service agencies serving Chicago.  Today they serve over 9,000 individuals and families a year in six locations.  Their mission is to serve, support and educate diverse and multicultural community members as they determine their own path of growth and development.  In December, they moved their Administrative Offices and City Wide Programming into the third floor of the Ravenswood Professional Building.  Though they began in Albany Park, they serve the entire city of Chicago and are excited about the opportunities for growth and development here in Lincoln Square. 

Though they offer a wealth of services in six locations, they have four major programs operating in Lincoln Square: Head Start and Childcare, Workforce Development, Counseling and Veterans' Services.  Their Head Start and Child Care Collaboration is operated out of Berry United Methodist Church located at 4754 N. Leavitt.  Their City Wide Programs-Workforce Development, Counseling and Veterans' Services are operated out of our Administrative Offices at 1945 W. Wilson, Suite 3000.  Please learn more about them on their website.   

In 2013, Prak-Sis Contemporary Art Association is pleased to announce Axis 2013 International Art Festival, Prak Sis Annual Art Festival from May 2nd - May 5th, 2013. This festival, subtitled Royal&Loyal, will take place in the Northcenter neighborhood at the Ravenswood Event Center (4011 N. Ravenswood) using a total of four spaces: a) the Billboard Atrium; b) the Loft; c) the Billboard Showroom; and d) the Industrial Ballroom. A stimulating variety of work and media will be displayed, with an expected guest list of approximately 50,000 community members and visitors from throughout Chicago land. Prak-sis is committed to having a broad attendance by offering the art festival events at little or NO COST to the community and general public.  

Application is DUE FEB 14. 2013.  Please contact them if you have any questions regarding your involvement in AXIS 2013 at axis.praksis@gmail.com. Exhibitor's prospectus is available here or on facebook.  Sponsorship application is available here. 

Remember when people actually played board games at home? Well, they are bringing back the good old days at Sulzer Library. Join them for an enjoyable evening of socializing and meet some new friends! Sulzer Regional Library will be hosting "Game Night at the Library" this coming month on Monday, February 25, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at 4455 N. Lincoln Ave. There will be an assortment of board  and card games available, and you are welcome to bring your own favorites as well. They will try to match you up with others who enjoy these games on a chilly winter evening. Their next Game Nights will be on Monday, March 11 and Tuesday, March 26.

The next meeting of the Greater Rockwell Organization takes place on Tuesday, February 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Luther Memorial Church. Our speaker will be Laura Goldberg, Environmental Outreach Coordinator for the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). She will be speaking on recent changes in electricity providers for the city of Chicago and how that affects Chicago residents. CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization, created to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Find out more about GRO on their website.

Sulzer needs your old games.  If you have games that your family no longer uses, please bring them to the 47th Ward Office or to Sulzer Library. Their ever-popular "Game Night" could use a few more board games like Sorry, Chess, Life, Uno, Jenga, Rummy Cube, etc.

Check out the infrastructure map on our webpage!

Water Main for Hermitage

City Crews from the Dept. of Water Management will begin replacing the 1890 water main under Hermitage from Irving Park to Montrose.  This work will begin in February and will be completed by May of 2013. To see the residents' notice, please click here.  

Water Main for Marshfield  

City Crews from the Dept. of Water Management will begin replacing the 1906 water main under Marshfield from Irving Park to Byron.  This work was slated to start soon, but will be delayed until early Spring. To see the residents' notice, please click here. 

Water Main for Leavitt 

City contractor is replacing the 1895 water main under Leavitt St. from Irving Park to Montrose.  The work should be completed by early March 2013.  To see the residents' notice, please click here. 

Sewer Mains for Wolcott and Ravenswood

City crews are installing sewer pipes on Wolcott (Addison to Bradley) and Ravenswood (Belmont to Roscoe). Crews are pouring the new concrete base course this week.  Concrete pouring will be completed next week.  Curbline to curbline asphalt resurfacing will take place in the Spring once temperatures allow.  To see the residents' notice, please click here.

Metra Traffic Closures and Detours 

• Montrose will be closed at Ravenswood until 2/2/13.  There will be a partial closure until 2/26/13. 
• Friday the large crane will be mobilized onsite for erection of the main girders.
• The Montrose FULL closure will continue into Saturday.  There will be structural steel erection taking place on Saturday as well.
• 4500 to 4600 North Ravenswood Avenue parking closure will be up until February 28, 2013.
• Leland detours will be up until February 28, 2013.
• Ravenswood from Montrose to Berteau and from Irving Park to Grace will have intermittent closures and parking restrictions through  February 28, 2013.

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.