32nd Ward Newsletter August 15, 2025

Greetings!

If you're wondering why your windows are vibrating these last two days, it's because the Air and Water Show is back! It's the largest free show of its kind in the country and can be viewed along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street. Expect to see performances from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights alongside some civilian performers such as Bill Stein and Coleman Aerosports. Full listing of performers here.

Get all your old papers in order and haul them over to the Menards' parking lot next to our office next Friday for our shredding event. The shredding event is sponsored in partnership with Menards, Midway Shredding, Water Reclamation (which will be raffling off a rain barrel), and the Cook County Sheriff (who will be collecting unused medicine). Everything is shredded on site and there's always a huge turn out, which is why we moved it to the Menards' lot.

It's Back to school on Monday! This year, CPS made major cuts to crossing guards near private schools, so make sure to let your kids know to be extra careful crossing this year. Parents should also be aware of no parking zones, to drive carefully, and to respect neighbors (no double parking, blocking driveways, etc). The beginning of the school year is always chaotic which is more reason to be careful.

Lastly, I want to thank Owen and Jacklin, our two summer interns, for their hard work this summer. They were an absolute delight and handled calls from residents with grace and patience. Our office was lucky to have them and I wish them both well as they head off to the next stage of their lives.

Have a nice weekend.

Alderman Scott Waguespack

2025 Street Cleaning Calendar

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 12, 13, and 14 (Lincoln Park and Bucktown). Click on the map above to see your section's schedule.

Please be on the lookout for signs and make sure to move your vehicle on your scheduled day (south and east sides of the street are normally done on the first day, north and west on the second; please watch for signs). Sweepers will do more than one pass on the block in their initial cleaning but will not come back to clean sections outside of their officially scheduled day.

Please take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property to keep the sewers flowing well. Any landscaping debris should be bagged and put in the alley by your trash cans. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Piles of leaves and heavy garbage also clog the sweepers and will cause significant delays. Other large objects like branches and metal will also damage the sweepers, so please remove them from curbs.

Residents can view street sweepers in real time using the Sweeper Tracker online tool. 

Public Safety Section

IDOT Safe Routes to School Program

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced that the 2025 Safe Routes to School program will be accepting applications from August 1 through October 13. Safe Routes to School has three main goals: enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school; to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age; and to facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity (within 2 miles) of primary, middle, and high schools (grades K-12).

For complete information about this IDOT opportunity, visit this link.

Ashland Resurfacing Project

There will be an upcoming resurfacing project on Ashland from School to Clark, and Clark from Ashland to Ridge. This work is part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Arterial Street Resurfacing. 

Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin on August 18th, 2025, pending clearance from and coordination with existing utilities, and weather permitting. Bigane Paving Co. is the general contractor for this project and Wight & Company is providing resident engineering services for the Chicago Department of Transportation.

The work will include ADA sidewalk improvements, curb and gutter removal and replacement as needed for ADA and drainage compliance, pavement patching, median installation, milling and paving the existing asphalt pavement, and striping.

During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs will be periodically installed as required for each activity listed above. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, while adhering to rush hour restrictions, for the completion of the work. All work on this corridor is scheduled to be completed November 21, 2025.

Fall Park District Programs

Cooler temps and fall colors are not far away. Make Chicago Park District programs part of your fall plans and view the full slate of offerings here! The autumn program session runs from September 2, 2025 through December 7, 2025. Online registration is open, and in-person registration starts August 9 at most park locations. Park Kids after-school programs kick off on August 18 at parks citywide in line with the academic school year. Register for Park Kids programs here. Visit the programs 101 page to learn more about program registration.

In preparation for the Fall Session, and as summer pool season begins to sunset, please check your local pool schedule here for updates. Aquatics programs start on August 15. 

Check Out These FREE Events from the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce

August Women’s Networking Event (8/21 from 9:30-10:30 AM @ Lost Girls Vintage)

Join us for an inspiring women's networking event to connect with like-minded women, share your experiences, and build meaningful relationships in a supportive environment.

Whether you're looking to expand your professional network or seek mentorship, this is the perfect opportunity to empower one another and grow together. Don't miss a morning filled with great conversations and new connections! We can't wait to see you there!

Free Bike Check-Ups @ Wicker Park! (8/21 from 6:30-8 PM @ Wicker Park)

Ride your bike over to Wicker Park (1425 N Damen Ave) on Thursday, August 21st, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM for free bike gear, and stick around for the free Movie in the Park! Special Service Area #33 will be handing out free snacks, bike lights, reflective leg bands, bells, and more!

And while you're there, get a free bike check-up from the masterful technicians at BFF Bikes!

Come say hi and hang out with our cycling crew before setting up a picnic and watching The Parent Trap (1998) in Wicker Park!

Fall Wine Wobble (9/18 from 6-9 PM on Division St)

Sip, Stroll, and Shop Local This Fall!

We couldn’t wine-d down the excitement for fall—so why wait? Celebrate the season’s arrival in one of Chicago’s most vibrant neighborhoods: Wicker Park!

Join us for the Fall Wine Wobble, a festive evening of sipping fine wines, nibbling tasty bites, and discovering the best of local small businesses on Division Street—from spas and art galleries to jewelry boutiques and more!

Early Bird Tickets Sales begin 8/24

WPBCC Lunch & Learn (9/30 from 12-1:30 PM @ Studio 424)

Come hang out for a Lunch & Learn with intellectual property pro Julie A. Katz, JD! She’ll share simple, must-know tips for small businesses on protecting your trademarks and copyrights. You’ll also learn how to keep your brand and products safe.

Bonus: Lunch is on us, courtesy of WPBCC member Balanced Plate Nutrition.

12:00 PM: A light lunch will be served

12:30 PM: Programing Begins

1:00 PM: Q & A

Learn more here!

In response to sudden terminations or withdrawals of long-standing federal arts and humanities grants, the City of Chicago has launched the DCASE Arts Relief Fund. This emergency grant program offers one-time grants ranging between $10,000 and $25,000 to eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations that serve Chicago residents and have experienced federal funding losses in 2025. The new fund ensures continued access to vital cultural programming across the city, with priority given to organizations previously awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), or other affected federal agencies.

Applications open Aug 1 - 20th.

OEMC ALERT: The Chicago Air and Water Show, Little Italy Festa, Savannah Bananas and More Headline a Busy Weekend of Festivals and Events Citywide

OEMC Reminds Residents to be aware of your surroundings, stay vigilant and report suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1

The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is advising residents to stay vigilant and to enjoy the various citywide events and festivals this weekend safely and responsibly. Residents and visitors are encouraged to download the Chicago OEMC app. The app is a great tool to receive alerts, safety tips, weather forecasts, street closures, event information and more. The app is available through the Apple App and Google Play stores or visit the website Chicago.gov/OEMC.

Please note the events that are happening this weekend that will impede traffic flow, routes, and the CTA.

Chicago Air and Water Show

North Avenue Beach

Friday, August 15, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Practice)

Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

For public safety, green and white pole markers are attached to light poles at North Avenue Beach from Oak Street to Fullerton serving as location identifiers if spectators need to call 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity, an emergency or injury. The numbers provide first responders with your exact location. They can also be used to reunite with family or friends should you become separated. Please note there is no public parking at North Ave. Beach over this weekend so consider the CTA.

Other events to keep an eye on:

• Savannah Bananas at Rate Field, Friday, August 15 and Saturday, August 16 at 7 p.m.
• UFC 319 – United Center, Saturday, August 16, 5 p.m.  
• Little Italy Festa, Taylor Street, Thursday, August 14 – Friday, August 15 (5 p.m.-10 p.m.), Saturday, August 16-Sunday, August 17 (noon-10 p.m.)  
• Ukrainian Village Fest, Oakley Blvd, Saturday, August 16, 1 p.m – 10 p.m.
• Navy Pier Fireworks, Saturday, August 16 at 10 p.m.

Pole Markers/Location Identifiers: Grant Park and Lakefront Poles Markers/Location Identifiers: For public safety on the lakefront, residents are reminded to be aware of the numbers attached to the poles throughout the Grant Park area, along various points on the lakefront path and on DuSable Lake Shore Drive from 5700 North to 6600 South to help them reference their location along the lakefront and within the park if you call 9-1-1 in an emergency. OEMC call takers and dispatchers will be able to provide the location for first responders. They can also be used between friends and family members as meeting point if you become separated. For additional details click HERE.

Public Transportation: As for any large–scale event, public transportation is encouraged, and both CTA and Metra will provide additional service for the event. Public transit is the most affordable and convenient way to get to and from events citywide. For more information, visit CTA at TransitChicago.com and Metra.com.

Weather and Public Safety: OEMC will monitor events through a collaboration with public safety partners. OEMC advises Chicagoans to be aware of weather conditions and to follow instructions and heed all warnings from public safety officials. Residents are encouraged to check the weather before heading out. For the most up-to-date information, please tune into local media or download the Chicago OEMC app.

OEMC issues alerts and notifications needed to keep residents and attendees up to date on weather conditions and emergencies.

• Sign up for NotifyChicago alerts at NotifyChicago.org
• CHILAKE: For lakefront notices, TEXT “CHILAKE” to 7-8-0-1-5
• CHIBIZ: For alerts affecting businesses, TEXT “CHIBIZ” to 6-7-2-8-3

For additional information on emergency preparedness information, visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook(@coemc), Twitter (@ChicagoOEMC), Instagram (chicago_oemc_911), Bluesky (@chicagooemc.bsky.social) and Threads (@chicago_oemc_911).

City News

• The Chicago Air and Water Show Returns This Weekend. Here’s Everything You Need to Know
• Salomon Opening First Midwest Store This Month in Bucktown
• Johnson, Pritzker Dismiss Trump’s Threat to Send National Guard to Chicago 
• Chicago Program Put 30,000 Young People to Work This Summer