Of 523 playgrounds located within the Chicago Park District, 300 have been identified as more than 15 years old and in need of replacement.  In a partnership with the Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks is launching a community application to select 35 parks in 2013 to be replaced with brand new equipment! For more information please visit the Friends of the Parks website or CLICK HERE to download the application.

Congratulations to the officers from the 19th District on thwarting a burglary here in the 47th Ward.  Please be on the lookout for suspicious or criminal activity in your area.  Call 911 to make a report to the police and consider attending your local CAPS meeting.  More information on CAPS can always be found at the bottom of the "Community Events" section of our newsletter.  

On March 19, 2013 at 11:10 am officers from the 19th District responded to a "Burglary in Progress" call on the 3500 block of north Oakley.  Once on scene, officers met with the caller who resided in the basement unit of 3 flat who stated that she heard footsteps coming from the 1st floor unit where nobody was supposed to be home.  Officers immediately surrounded the residence and observed two of the three offenders walking down the rear porch with proceeds of the burglary.  The offenders then ran back into one of the units and were subsequently placed into custody by pursuing officers.  The third offender was found hiding under a bed in the first floor unit.  All three offenders were charged with two counts of residential burglary.  Officers also recovered proceeds from a burglary that occurred earlier in Park Ridge.  Park Ridge officials are now investigating the offenders for that burglary.

Applications for plots in the Chase Park Community Garden are now open, and more information can be found here. The deadline is April 5th, applicants will be notified by April 11th whether they have been awarded a plot. In an effort to avoid people paying for a plot before they are actually approved for one this year, the process has been separated. Anyone interested in applying can enroll in the "Community Garden Plot Application," and approved applicants will be emailed so that they can continue on with the "Plot Reservation". At that point they will sign a liability waiver and submit a $25 plot fee. Beginning this year, garden participants will be allowed to return for two years and then will be returned to the lotterly system to allow new people to have the opportunity to garden. Chase Park has one of the most popular community gardens within the park district, and the wait list each year is very long. Contact Kristin LeBourveau with questions or to request a paper application.

Students! Do you know the federal government has more than $150 billion dollars available to students for who have a financial need in order to attend college, and there are also billions of dollars in scholarships and grants that are available to students. The Student Financial Assistance Outreach Center (SFAOC) is an organization that helps economically disadvantage students find free financial aid for post-secondary education. Helping students directing in learning how to research for financial resources, SFAOC also assists high schools in making presentation on FAFSA information to their students and parents, and participates in college fairs and conferences held for high school students. For more information, see www.sfaoc.net. Contact: 773.847.7992 or moneyforschool@sfaoc.net.

Sulzer needs your old games.  Thanks to our neighbors who have donated games for the Sulzer's Game Night!  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.  

Join Openlands and North Park Village Nature Center in celebrating maple syrup season at the annual Maple Syrup Festival. Take a walk through the Nature Center's sugar bushes, see the entire maple syrup-making process, and enjoy some fresh maple syrup around a warm fire! This event is free and open to all ages. More info here.

Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24, 10am - 3pm, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.

Spring may be slow to get started in Chicago, but it's already in full swing inside the Garfield Park Conservatory. See a collection of Azaleas, camellias, and hydrangeas. More info here.

Daily, 9am - 5pm, 300 N. Central Park Ave.

Chicago birders meet this Sunday for a trip through three different southwest Chicago sloughs in search of waterfowl, migrating Sandhill Cranes, and other birds. The group will meet at McGinnis Slough, then travel to both Saganashkee and Palos West sloughs. Dress appropriately for the weather. More info here.

Sunday, March 24, 8am - 11am, 13600 S. LaGrange Road (RT 45), Orland Park, IL 60462

Visit Ryerson Woods this Saturday for some insight on how to incorporate native plants into your home garden. This event is $10 for the public, but free for park members. More info here.

Saturday, March 23, 1pm - 2:30pm, 1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048

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 next week with the drilling of test holes, and will be completed by June of 2013. To see the residents' notice, please click here. Please Note: Parking Restrictions ONLY enforced M-F.

Water Main for Marshfield  

City Crews from the Dept. of Water Management are replacing the 1906 water main under Marshfield from Irving Park to Byron.  Work will be completed by late April 2013.   To see the residents' notice, please click here. 

Water Main for Leavitt 

City contractor has replaced the 1895 water main under Leavitt St. from Irving Park to Montrose.  Crews have restored the concrete base course.  Asphalt resurfacing will come in the spring.  To see the residents' notice, please click here. 

Sewer Mains for Wolcott and Ravenswood

City crews have finished installing sewer pipes on Wolcott (Addison to Bradley) and Ravenswood (Belmont to Roscoe). 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 

• Leland detours and bridge closure will be up until June 28, 2013.
• Ravenswood from Lawrence to Leland will have parking restrictions until June 28, 2013.  There is also an ongoing FULL CLOSURE for this duration on the west side of Ravenswood.  Sidewalks will remain open.   
• Irving Park 
• Westbound CLOSURE for drilling April 1 - 6, 2013
• Eastbound CLOSURE March 23, 25 - 30, 2013

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