 Respect. Honor. Remember.
Chicago's Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony
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The City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) present Chicago's annual Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony this
Saturday, May 27. The Wreath Laying Ceremony will begin at 11am on Daley Plaza (Dearborn and Washington Streets). The parade will then step off at noon and proceed south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street.
During the Wreath Laying Ceremony and Parade, the City of Chicago honors fallen heroes and Gold Star family members who have lost a loved one in the United States Armed Forces to combat operations or while on active duty. Approved by Congress beginning in 1947,
Gold Star Lapel Pins and the
Next of Kin Lapel Pins are presented to families not as an award, but as symbols of honor worn by family members in remembrance of their fallen loved ones and their ultimate sacrifice.
United States Marine Corps, Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration, will serve as the Grand Marshal. For the Wreath Laying Ceremony and Parade, he will join Mayor Rahm Emanuel along with service members, veterans and Gold Star families in remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
John Schwan is this year's recipient of the Major General John A. Logan Patriot Award for his leadership, patriotism and selfless devotion to serving veterans and active duty military through Operation Support Our Troops America, a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of soldiers currently serving and aiding returning veterans in finding employment and other services. He is a service-related disabled veteran; awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Air Medal, two Bronze Stars with V for Valor device and a Purple Heart.
Each year, the City of Chicago also acknowledges the outstanding contributions of JROTC cadets by honoring a student with the Cadet of the Year Award. Cadet Brigadier General Cinthia Estrada, a student at Lane Tech College Prep, and Cadet Colonel Samuel Ferguson, a student at the Phoenix Military Academy, have been chosen this year for their commitment to excellence and as role models to their peers. Both students have stellar academic records and are deserving of this award. Each cadet will receive a scholarship for future academic endeavors awarded by Tom Day and his organization Bugles Across America.
City of Chicago Memorial Day Events - Saturday, May 27, 2017
11:00am Wreath Laying Ceremony -
Eternal Flame on Daley Plaza (Dearborn and Washington Streets)
12:00 noon Memorial Day Parade -
Step off from Lake and State, proceed south to Van Buren
The Chicago parade is considered one of the largest Memorial Day parades in the nation. Participants in the parade include area high school marching bands, drum and bugle corps as well as many veterans' groups, 6,000 JROTC cadets and the military.
Memorial Day has a rich history. It began shortly after the Civil War ended when General John Logan proclaimed that the 30th day of May be designated for the purpose of decorating the graves of soldiers who died. The day, first observed on May 30, 1868, was called Decoration Day. The modern day event is similar, but the original idea has been expanded and now honors all fallen soldiers.
The Chicago Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony are presented by the City of Chicago. For more information about the Illinois Gold Star, visit
goldstarpins.org and for more information regarding the parade, please call the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events at
312.744.3316 or
click here.
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Alderman Reilly's Offices Closed for Memorial Day
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Alderman Reilly would like to wish you and your family a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!
Please note the 42nd Ward Constituent Service Office will be closed Saturday, May 27, 2017. Additionally, Alderman Reilly's Constituent Service and City Hall Offices will be closed Monday, May 29, 2017 to comply with the City of Chicago mandatory holiday schedule.
If you have a need for city services, please call 3-1-1 for non-emergency requests, or dial 9-1-1 if you require immediate assistance.
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| Alderman Reilly Collecting Items for Homeless Veterans through Operation Help-A-Hero |
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Operation Help-A-Hero, a citywide household item collection drive to assist formerly homeless Veterans moving to permanent housing, runs between Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Residents can donate new, store bought products for a formerly homeless veteran at one of over 60 designated drop-off locations throughout the City.
Last year's inaugural collection drive raised $500,000 worth of goods to help formerly homeless veteran. The items help assist thousands of veterans to successfully live independently.
Led by Alderman O'Shea and the 19th Ward, the Operation Help-A-Hero drive includes partnerships between Aldermanic Ward offices - including the 42nd Ward, the Chicago Park District and Military Outreach USA, a faith based non-profit organization supporting those who have served in the United States' armed services
For a list of the most commonly requested items or more information on Operation Help-A-Hero, including a complete list of drop off locations, visit
www.cityofchicago.org/helpahero.
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| Amtrak Selects Master Developer for Chicago Union Station Commercial Design |
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Amtrak has designated Riverside Investment and Development Co. as the Master Developer for the commercial elements of Chicago Union Station (CUS) and neighboring Amtrak-owned properties.
The initial conceptual design proposed by Riverside, in conjunction with co-developer and co-venture partner Convexity Properties - a DRW Company, includes three phases projected to be completed in about six years. Key project priorities include improved street entrances and pedestrian traffic flow entering and leaving Union Station, as well as improved pedestrian-friendly landscaping and open spaces.
The commercial aspects of the project do not require any Federal, state or local funding and will be considered by the City of Chicago Plan Commission, Landmark Commission, Zoning Committee and City Council.
In addition, this development proposal will undergo Alderman Reilly's standard, rigorous community review process, incorporating valuable feedback from West Loop stakeholders. Please stay tuned to Reilly Reports for future updates.
For more information, click here to read the official press release.
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| MB Financial Bank Bike the Drive - Sunday, May 28 |
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Join thousands of Chicagoans on Sunday, May 28 for Bike the Drive - the City's annual bicycle ride on a car-free Lake Shore Drive!
Enjoy the striking skyline and the shimmering water of Lake Michigan as you cruise up and down the entire length of Lake Shore Drive for the MB Bike the Drive , which benefits the Active Transportation Alliance.
Hop on your bike the one-day a year when the length of Lake Shore Drive is open to cyclists and closed to auto traffic.
Start Locations in the 42nd Ward:
Columbus Drive and Jackson Drive Starting Lines
Schedule:
- 5:30am: Lake Shore Drive will open for ride participants, upon police approval
- 5:30am - 7am: Recommended time for starting the ride to maximize your time on the course
- 9:30am: Ride participants are no longer allowed to enter Lake Shore Drive
- 9:40am - 10am: At all points along the route, participants must leave Lake Shore Drive and move to the Lakefront Trail
- 10:15am: All bicyclists must be off Lake Shore Drive
- 10:30-11am: Traffic reintroduced to Lake Shore Drive
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One Chicago Campaign Depicts Chicago's Value that Everyone is Welcome
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Alderman Reilly is proud to be a partner in One Chicago. Established in 2017 to unify all Chicagoans as one city and one voice, the One Chicago campaign facilitates access to resources and support for Chicago's residents, including its immigrant and refugee communities.
Central to the campaign is a new website, www.onechi.org. The website works to facilitate access to resources like legal protection, Know Your Rights Training, mental health services and more. The website also features real Chicagoans sharing their personal stories on how they came to call this city home all united under the message: Three million residents, three millions stories, three million reasons to stand together.
For more information about the One Chicago campaign, visit onechi.org.
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The Chicago House Party in Millennium Park Celebrates the Dance Music Born in Chicago
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The Chicago House Party will offer free music and dancing in Millennium Park on
Saturday, May 27 from 2:00pm - 9:00pm
. Throughout the day, DJs and live performances will showcase the various sounds and styles of house music, a musical form originally born in Chicago that has since revolutionized dance music on an international scale.
This year the House Party will expand to the North Chase Promenade Tent as well as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Admission to the event is FREE. For complete details visit millenniumpark.org.
In addition to the House Party at Millennium Park, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events will host a House Music Conference on Thursday, May 25 and Friday, May 26 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington) for musicians, DJs and industry participants. Admission to the conference is free, and registration is not required. For complete conference details visit the chicagoculturalcenter.org.
These events celebrate Chicago house music - a truly original genre created in the city during the 1980s. The form takes its name from an old Chicago night club called The Warehouse, where resident DJ Frankie Knuckles mixed old disco classics, Euro-pop and electronic beats into a high-energy amalgamation.
To view the full press release and schedule of events, click here.
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32nd Annual Chicago Gospel Music Festival
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The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events presents the 32nd Chicago Gospel Music Festival. The free admission festival happening June 2-3 in Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center will include the following headliners: The Rance Allen Group, Jonathan McReynolds with special guests Anthony Brown & Travis Greene, VaShawn Mitchell, Malcolm Williams & Great Faith, a Tribute to Jessy Dixon and many more.
Featuring local and national artists celebrating the genre's foundational roots in Chicago, the Gospel Music Festival will be held at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) from noon to 4pm and in Millennium Park from 5:30 to 9:30pm on Friday, June 2, and continue in Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) on Saturday, June 3, from 11am to 9:30pm.
To view the complete festival schedule and list of performers,
click here.
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Update on McClurg Court 2-Way Traffic Reconfiguration
Switch date is tentatively scheduled for June 12th |
The reconfiguration of McClurg Court (between Ohio and Ontario streets) from a one-way northbound to a two-way street is currently underway. The Chicago Department of Transportation recommended this change to help address chronic complaints about severe traffic congestion in the area (but especially on westbound Ontario Street), by creating a "pressure valve" with the conversion of McClurg Court to a two-way street.
Alderman Reilly is pleased to announce that the traffic switch for McClurg Court is tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 12, weather permitting.
Remaining work includes: traffic signal modifications; ADA Ramp construction; revised pavement markings; and signage modifications.
During the reconfiguration, McClurg will remain open to vehicular traffic. Local sidewalk closures are necessary to accommodate traffic signal work and ADA ramp construction; however, pedestrian access will be maintained to properties along this corridor.
The City of Chicago is confident the changes recommended by CDOT will provide faster and more efficient direct access to residential buildings and businesses in the area, while also improving pedestrian safety and reducing traffic congestion in the area.
This reconfiguration is a pilot program that will be closely monitored by CDOT. Alderman Reilly has requested heavy enforcement from the Chicago Police Department, Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) and CDOT to stop illegal curbside loading and staging on this block of McClurg Court.
Please monitor future Reilly Reports for updates on timing and implementation of this reconfiguration. Additionally, please use caution and be alert when traveling in this area due to the upcoming changes.
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Street Closures and Construction Updates
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Madison Street Closures This Weekend
The Department of Transportation (CDOT) today announced the closure of Madison, between State and Michigan; and the intersection of Wabash and Madison beginning Friday, May 26 at 9pm until Saturday, May 27 at 5am, for construction of the new elevated Washington-Wabash CTA Station. In the case of bad weather, this closure will be postponed until Tuesday, May 30.
Motorists wishing to travel westbound from Michigan Ave will be able to turn westbound to either Randolph or Adams, and then turn onto State to travel west to Madison. Access to Wabash south of Madison, will be available from Monroe during this closure.
2017 Spring Bridge Lifts
Each year, in the spring and fall, CDOT raises the movable bridges along the Main and South Branches of the Chicago River on a twice weekly schedule on Saturdays and Wednesdays to accommodate recreational boats traveling to and from their storage yards.
During these "boat runs," the bridges are raised sequentially, typically one at a time. Each bridge lift takes an average of 8-12 minutes. A total of 27 bridges will be lifted in succession from the Ashland Avenue Bridge on the South Branch to Lake Shore Drive.
The Spring 2017 bridge lift schedule is as follows:
- Saturday, May 20 at 8am
- Wednesday, May 24 at 9:30am
- Wednesday, May 31 at 9:30am
- Saturday, June 3 at 8am
- Wednesday, June 7 at 9:30am
- Saturday, June 10 at 8am
- Wednesday, June 14 at 9:30am
- Saturday, June 17 at 8am
- Wednesday, June 21 at 9:30am
- Saturday, June 24 at 8am
- Wednesday, June 28 at 9:30am
There will be no lift on Saturday, May 27
Clark Street Bascule Bridge Sidewalk and Roadway Deck Repairs
From now until mid-August 2017, the Clark Street Bascule Bridge will be narrowed to one lane of vehicular traffic for sidewalk and roadway deck repairs. Additionally, one sidewalk at a time will be closed for repairs, beginning with the sidewalk on the southwest side of the bridge.
This project makes repairs to the road decks and sidewalks across the bridge span. During the project, residents and motorists can expect to see the removal of the existing concrete sidewalk, which will be replaced with fiberglass grating; and removal and replacement of the roadway deck along the curb.
Detour Information: Motorists traveling southbound on Clark and seeking to avoid delays should turn west on Grand to southbound Wells and then eastbound on Wacker back to Clark. Alternately, motorists can travel eastbound on Illinois to southbound State and then west on Wacker back to Clark.
Bus routes will be maintained and will not be re-routed.
Water Main Replacement: Clark Street Project
The Department of Water Management is installing 3,330 feet of new 12-inch water main on Clark, from Superior to Kinzie. The old water main dates back to 1873 and needs to be replaced. Work hours will be 7am-4pm.
- No Parking/Tow Zone will be in place during the work hours. Outside of work hours, parking will be allowed.
- During work hours, intermittent street closures may be required, however, access to homes and businesses will always be allowed. Outside of working hours, a travel lane will be left open for local traffic only.
- To receive regular email updates about the progress of the project directly from the Department of Water Management, please go to: BuildingANewChicago.org to register for the WaterALERT program-enter your name, email address and the project identification number 1501098.
- For further information or questions about the project, please call the Department of Water Management's Office of Public Affairs at 312-744-6635.
Traffic Impact for Wanda Vista Construction
Now through project completion, Field Boulevard from Lower Wacker to South Water Street will be closed. Please plan accordingly.
Traffic Impacts for Hubbard and Wells Development
Now through project completion, there will be a curb lane and sidewalk closure of the west side of Wells, from Hubbard to Kinzie. No Parking/Tow Zone signs will be in effect along the west side of Wells, from Hubbard to 400 N Wells. No Parking/Tow Zone signs will be in effect along the south side of Hubbard, from Franklin to Wells.
Traffic Impacts for 151 N. Franklin Development
Now through project completion, there will be a curb lane closure on Franklin, from Randolph to Couch Place, and a single traffic lane closure on Randolph, from Wells to Franklin. Fencing and traffic barricades have been set up for safety.
Traffic Impacts for 167 W. Erie Development
Now through project completion, there will be a single lane closure on Ontario between LaSalle and Wells beginning mid-block. There will also be sidewalk and single lane closures on Erie, between LaSalle and Wells, and Wells, between Erie and Ontario. Fencing and traffic barricades have been set up for safety.
Traffic Impacts for 640 N. Wells Development
Now through project completion, the parking lane on the west side on Wells, between Erie and Ontario, will be closed. Fencing and traffic barricades have been set up for safety.
42nd Ward Construction Updates
To read the most recent construction updates for current development projects in the 42nd Ward, please visit the "
Major Projects" page on Alderman Reilly's
website.
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| Your Upcoming CAPS Meetings |
CAPS meetings offer city residents an opportunity to address crime and safety issues directly with the beat officers who patrol their neighborhood, as well as to provide ongoing feedback, which help the police to monitor crime issues.
No CAPS meetings are scheduled the week of May 29 in the 42nd Ward.
Please make sure to check the details for upcoming meetings with your Police District's CAPS office. Some beat meeting details may have changed meetings in 2017.
1st District: 312-745-4381
12th District: 312-746-8306
18th District: 312-742-5778
To find your district and beat, please
click here.
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42nd Ward Website
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The 42nd Ward website is designed to help local residents, businesses and community groups find quick answers to questions about city services and programs. On this site you'll find links to the most requested city services and other useful resources located within downtown Chicago's 42nd Ward. Please visit Alderman Reilly's "virtual office" at
www.ward42chicago.com.
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Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly
325 W. Huron St., Ste. 510
(312) 642-4242
(312) 642-0420 (fax)
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Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly
City Hall
121 N. LaSalle St., Room 300
(312) 744-3062
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| In this week's Reilly Reports |
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