News

 Recap of recent WRPCO events:

2012 DROUGHT ALERTS     drought tips

As we go thru this summer drought we are passing on  received from all quarters to help keep our neighborhood leafy, beautiful and safe. Please send any information that would be worth sharing to info@wrpco.org!!

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Our Public Services Forum successfully concluded on Monday, June 4, 6:30 pm, at Devon Bank. An audience of over 40 heard how the future of our public services is being decided right now in Chicago, Springfield, and Washington D.C. WRPCO and other community groups sponsored this informative presentation about services we all care about, such as the Post Office and the Chicago Public Library.  Click here for Details

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·         General membership meeting, March 10, 2011, Devon Bank, 6445 N. Western Ave. We elected new Officers and nominated members to the WRPCO Board, as well as presenting the results of the Community Concerns Survey and planning for next years activities.

·         General membership meeting, March 3, 2010, Indo-American Center, 6328 N. California Ave. We elected new Officers and nominated members to the WRPCO Board, as well as planning for next years activities. Click here for the meeting minutes [need link]

·         “Get to Know Your Public Representatives” Night, January 25, 2010, Boone School, 6710 N. Washtenaw Ave. Over 100 people showed up to meet our elected officials and get answers to their questions and concerns about our community. Our thanks to Alderman Bernard Stone, State Senator Ira Silverstein, State Representative Lou Lang, Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Commissioner Bridget Gainer, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky for coming and telling us what they and their staff can do for us, updating us on what's happening in Springfield, explaining the most recent developments in the healthcare debate in Washington and answering questions regarding the use of technology to reach constituents, crime in the neighborhood, and business development on Western Avenue. We would like to thank our co-sponsors—the Indo-American Center, the Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park, the Lakeside Community Development Corporation, the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the Rogers Park Business Alliance, and Zam's Hope Community Resource Center—for making this such a successful event! Rabbi Doug Zelden taped the panel discussion and we will send you the link as soon as it is available in case you were not able to attend. [link needed]

·         General membership meeting, November 4, 2009, Boone School, 6710 N. Washtenaw Ave. The meeting was devoted to breakout discussions of specific issues affecting our community, including Foreclosures, Education, Youth, Community Development, Western Avenue, and all other important concerns. [links?]

·         General membership meeting, July 1, 2009, Indo-American Center, 6328 N. California Ave. The results of the Western Avenue Survey were presented and discussion was continued on the future of Western Avenue. Click the following links for the presentation given at the meeting (Powerpoint document), for the meeting minutes (Word document), and for the

addendum to the meeting minutes (Word document)

·         General membership meeting, March 26, 2009, Boone School, 6710 N. Washtenaw Ave. We held our annual election of Officeholders and the Board of Directors. In addition to WRPCO membership business, this meeting featured community discussion and idea-sharing on the future redevelopment of Western Avenue. It featured a presentation of current land uses and an interactive poll facilitated by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Lakeside Community Development Corporation.  Click the following links for the meeting flyer (Adobe Acrobat document), for the meeting minutes (Word document), and for

2008 Annual Report (Word document)

·         Second Annual Student Art Exhibit, December 3-12, 2008, Devon Bank, 6445 N. Western Ave. The theme of the exhibit was "Helping Hands: How We Help One Another at Home, in Our Community, and in the World".  It featured over 250 works of art by students in our community's public and private schools, including Armstrong Elementary, Bethesda Lutheran, Boone Elementary, Decatur Classical, Guidance, Northside Catholic, Rogers Elementary, and St. Margaret Mary. The exhibit was generously underwritten by the Devon Bank. Click here for

photos of the students' artwork.

·         General membership meeting, November 18, 2008, Devon Bank, 6445 N. Western Ave. In addition to WRPCO membership business, this meeting featured a presentation by Brian White (Executive Director of the Lakeside Community Development Corporation) on "Community Housing Conditions in West Ridge" (click here for the report). WRPCO and Lakeside CDC recently cooperated in surveying rental housing in the neighborhood, and Brian summarized this field research, as well as led a discussion of current trends and future needs in rental housing in our community. Click here to download the meeting flyer and for the meeting minutes.

·         General membership meeting, June 19, 2008, Indo-American Center, 6328 N. California Ave. The meeting featured the presentation of the "Devon Avenue Needs-Assessment: A Smart Growth Strategy," presented by members of the South Asian-American Policy and Research Institute. The event was co-sponsored by Apna Ghar, Asian Human Services, Devon Avenue Special Service Area, Hamdard, IQRA International Educational Foundation, Indo-American Center, Islamic Center of Chicago, Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park, Metropolitan Asian Family Services, Pakistani-American Business Association, and the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce. Click here to see the

meeting flyer.  

·         General membership meeting, March 26, 2008, Boone School, 6710 N. Washtenaw Ave.  We held our annual election to the Board of Directors at this meeting. Click here to view the meeting minutes.  

·         First Annual Student Art Exhibit, November 29-December 7, 2007, Devon Bank, 6445 N. Western Ave. The theme of the exhibit was “How My Family Celebrates the Holidays.” This was a multi-cultural event displaying the rich diversity of our neighborhood, as seen through the eyes of its youngest members. Hundreds of neighbors and friends came to the event and admired and celebrated our children’s' beautiful artwork. Click here for photos of the event and students' artwork.

·         General membership meeting, October 23, 2007, Devon Bank, 6445 N. Western Ave. The meeting featured a report and discussion of Mike Stiehl's West Ridge Community Survey (the result of a year-long collaboration between Mike Stiehl, of the University of Illinois Extension, and residents of West Ridge/West Rogers Park). Click here for the meeting minutes and for ­­ [link to photos of meeting]. (Thanks to Rochelle Gordon for the photos!)

Other Noteworthy WRPCO Events:

·    May, 2007 – Over 120 people attend our community meeting about development and zoning. Alderman Bernard Stone attends.

·    March, 2007 – Eight public and private elementary school principals in West Rogers Park convened to discuss common issues and goals.

·    February, 2007 – More than 275 residents attended WRPCO’s 50^th Ward Aldermanic Candidates Forum. Additionally, more than 140 residents attended the run-off election Aldermanic Forum held in March.

·    November 2006 – Nearly 8,000 voters (87.5%) in the 50^th Ward voted YES for WRPCO’s Community Planning Board Referendum on the November 7^th general election.

·    June 2006 – WRPCO organized a petition drive to put a referendum on the November 7^th, 2006 ballot calling for an Independent Community Planning Board for the 50^th Ward. The petition drive lasted for the rest of the summer. More than 1,100 voters signed the petition.

·    May 2006 – WRPCO hosts the first neighborhood-wide Youth Basketball Tournament at Warren Park, bringing together youth on teams in both neighborhood public and private schools. Over 200 people attended.