April 6th Virtual Town Hall Meeting Recap

Alderman Dowell hosted representatives from Digital Realty Trust, Bronzeville Cares, and the 2nd District Police District Council during her April 6, 2023 Virtual Town Hall meeting. During the meeting, Digital Realty Trust provided an update to their proposed data center development at 330 E. Cermak Rd., Bronzeville Cares discussed their proposed mixed-use housing and commercial project on 47th St. between Forrestville Ave. and St. Lawrence Ave., and residents got to meet the new 2nd District Police District Council representatives to get a better understanding of what they will be doing to help with public safety in our community. Thank you to everyone who attended and presented at this meeting.

If you were unable to attend, or want to re-watch the meeting, the video of the meeting is available online here.

Alderman Dowell, Residents Participate in Clean and Green Day 2023

Another great Clean and Green Day was held on Earth Day, April 22, 2023. To celebrate and honor the environment, Alderman Dowell and residents spent the day cleaning their neighborhoods. From public parks to the boulevards, schools and sidewalks, people from all across the ward in groups both big and small took it upon themselves to beautify our community. Thank you to all those that participated, including but not limited to: South Loop Elementary School, Prairie Pointe at Central Station Condo Association, Centers for New Horizons, 3700-3800 S. Wabash Ave., The Park Row at Burnham Place Homeowners Association, and Top Ladies of Distinction. And thank you to Marchelle Collins, 3rd Ward Superintendent, for coordinating the Streets and Sanitation work for this great day.

Clean and Green Day isn't the only opportunity to beautify our neighborhoods. We all should be working every day to keep our community clean! Everyone enjoys, and deserves, to live in a clean, safe community. So let's reach that goal together!

3rd Ward Public Service Office Pet Vaccine Clinic

Close to 200 pets received important vaccine and/or microchip services at Alderman Dowell's Pet Vaccine and Microchip Clinic on April 29th. Thank you to all the Chicago Animal Care and Control CACC) staff and volunteers, and 3rd Ward Staff Lucy Macedo, Renee Barrera and Allyson Allison for managing this special event. Getting your pets vaccinated is critical to their long and healthy life! If you missed this event, CACC provides these services to residents all across the City. Go to their website at www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cacc for a list of locations, dates and times.

NASCAR Street Race Street Closures

In mid-April, NASCAR released its proposed street closures for the July 1st and 2nd NASCAR Chicago Street Race. If you missed the announcement, please click here. The link will take you to a detailed description of the street closures, along with timelines for when individual roads will close and reopen. As Alderman Dowell has stated previously, she continues to have strong reservations about hosting NASCAR in Chicago, but will work with NASCAR and the community to best prepare for the potential race.

Alderman Dowell Attends Easter Celebrations

Over the Easter weekend, Alderman Dowell stopped by two holiday gatherings to celebrate with the community. At both Williams Park (2850 S. State St.) and Women’s Park and Gardens (1801 S. Indiana Ave.) there were bright and smiling faces everywhere. And not just the kids, parents and families were all having a wonderful time. Kudos to Carol Wallace (Williams Park) and Tina Feldstein (Woman's Park) for their leadership in organizing these annual celebrations for the community!

Metcalfe Park Improvement Update

Planned renovations to Metcalfe Park (4196 S. State St.) are still making their way through the Chicago Park District's approval process. The Park District is finishing the design phase and once the plans are approved by the Park District, they will put them out to bid. Contracts are typically awarded two weeks after the project is put to bid. Work is expected to be completed this summer.

The scope of work includes a full renovation to the on-site comfort station, which will receive all new doors, repairs to the exterior, drain rodding and clearing of debris, the toilets will be upgraded, and new ADA compliant fixtures and plumbing and exhaust fans will be installed.

Alderman Dowell Condemns Flash Mobs, Calls on Families/Community to Step Up

In response to the mid-April weekend disturbances downtown and on 31st St. Beach, Alderman Dowell released a statement strongly condemning the violence and called for parents to "collectively take back control of their homes" to help change the pattern of poor behavior. Alderman Dowell has long advocated for a wholistic approach to stopping criminal activity and to support our City's public safety needs. This 100% includes a strong police response to crime. She also supports enhanced wrap-around services for youth and families, especially in neighborhoods that have long suffered from disinvestment, and for parents/neighborhood leaders to step up and take responsibility for our community's children.

3rd Ward Viaduct Improvements

With Alderman Dowell's support and direction, the following viaducts in the 3rd Ward will be improved using local Tax Increment Financing funds.

• 100 W. 43rd St. - pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk replacement and drainage and lighting improvements (if needed)
• 100 W. 47th St. - pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk replacement and drainage and lighting improvements (if needed)
• 400 W. 35th St. - pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk replacement and drainage and lighting improvements (if needed)

Alderman Dowell Reminds Residents to Plan for Summer Youth Activities

Summer is quickly approaching! The CPS school year ends on June 7th, and registration for summer activities for youth fill up quickly so sign up now! Below is a short list of programs offered by the City of Chicago and its partners for Summer 2023.

• CPS programs can be found at cps.edu/summerprograms. Families can also contact their school's principal to find out what programming may be available at your specific school.
• One Summer Chicago
• My CHI, My Future
• Chicago Park District
• Chicago Public Library

CPS will also offer specialized programs to give students entering transitional grades a head start on beginning the new school year strong: 

• 253 schools (47 more than last summer) will offer Preview to Pre-k and/or Kickoff to Kindergarten programs to help our youngest learners get familiar with the daily routines of the classroom.
• And 81 high schools will offer Freshmen Connection to support up to 6,000 students who are preparing to enter 9th-grade.

Please contact your school for more information on these expanded programs.

Amanda Williams - Redefining Redlining Featured in Hyde Park Herald

Chicago artist and Bronzeville resident Amanda Williams has repurposed a vacant lot near 53rd St. and Prairie Ave. where she has planted 100,000 red tulips to highlight the history of redlining in Chicago. Redlining is a practice banks and other lenders use to single out neighborhoods that were deemed too risky to invest in, typically black and brown communities on Chicago's South and West sides. The legacy of redlining is a major contributor to the disinvestment seen in these communities today.

Partnering with Emerald South Development, Ms. Williams has undertaken this project not only to highlight the terrible cost of redlining in these communities, but also to beautify these underinvested spaces for the benefit current residents. Read more about her initiative here.

Lighting Project - Federal St. and Plymouth Ct. from Roosevelt Rd. to 14th St.

Alderman Dowell and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) are informing residents of a lighting project on S Federal St. and S. Plymouth Ct. from W Roosevelt Rd. to 14th St. The work is part of the Chicago Residential Lighting Improvements program and was requested by Alderman Dowell to improve your neighborhood and enhance safety at night.

Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin the week of April 24th and continue through mid-Summer, weather permitting. The lighting will be upgraded to a Smart lighting system with LED lights, new light poles with piggyback lights, and new infrastructure to keep the lighting working for many years in the future.

After the new lighting system is functioning, the brick parkways, lawns and sidewalk will be restored. If for any reason the light system is not working anytime during construction, please call 311 or the ward office.

During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs will be periodically installed as required. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, and residents can park normally after the posted hours and overnight, and usually all day on weekends. While there are inconveniences that go with the construction process, the new lighting improvements shall be around for many years in the future. 

Should you have any questions at any time during this course of this project, please feel free to contact the 3rd Ward Office at Ward03@cityofchicago.org, or 773-373-9273.  

South Loop Event Parking Restrictions

Parking restrictions are in place for the South Loop from Roosevelt Road to Cermak Rd. from Lake Shore Drive to Clark St. during all Chicago Bears football games and many other Soldier Field events. Wintrust Arena events have been removed from the parking restrictions. Vehicles parked in the South Loop without a valid South Loop Event Parking Pass, South Loop Event Guest Pass or Residential Permit Parking pass (for Residential Permit Parking Streets ONLY) are subject to ticketing or towing.

For a complete list of Soldier Field events, please visit www.soldierfield.com/events/all. The 3rd Ward is providing the list below as a courtesy to residents and visitors and does not assume liability for the accuracy of the monthly list of South Loop events. All Soldier Field events are subject to change, including cancellation or the scheduling of additional events. It is your responsibility to adhere to the parking restrictions in place. 

Luke Combs: World Tour

Saturday, May 6th at 5:45 pm

Chicago Fire vs. St. Louis City SC

Saturday, May 13th at noon

Chicago Fire vs. Atlanta United

Saturday, May 20th at 7:30 pm

Soldier Field 10-Miler

Saturday, May 27th at 7:00 am

NHS Financial Fresh Start Webinar

Whether you are planning to purchase a home or simply need to improve your finances, this webinar will

prepare you for financial security. Learn How To: develop a spending plan, reduce your debt, and increase your credit score.

When: Tuesday, May 2nd at 6:00 pm (link to register)

Teen Arts Showcase

Join Arts + Public Life's Teen Arts Showcase, hosted by their talented youth artists. At the showcase, you will have the opportunity to see the incredible work created by their talented young artists and experience the impact of our arts education program firsthand They believe that art is an essential part of building vibrant communities and are thrilled to showcase the creativity and passion of APL’s students.

Where: Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E. Garfield Blvd.)

When: Friday, May 5th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Free Comic Book Day

The King Branch Library is having a free comic book day. Children ages 6 to 13 will receive a free comic book while supplies last. There will also be games and crafts for attendees.

Where: King Branch Library (3436 S. King Dr.)

When: Saturday, May 6th from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

1st District Police Council Public Meeting

District Councils bring police officers and Chicago residents together to plan, prioritize, and build mutual trust; strengthen the police accountability system; give Chicagoans a meaningful new role in oversight; and explore and advance alternative effective approaches to public safety. District Councils are elected for each of the 22 Chicago Police Districts.

For the 1st District, their inaugural meeting's date/time/location is listed below. The dates for the rest of 2023 are: June 6, July 11, August 1, September 13, October 10, November 7, and December 5. These will be in-person, in the 1st District in the evenings, with locations to be announced prior to the meetings.

Where: Columbia College Arts and Design Building (623 S. Wabash Ave., 1st Floor)

When: Tuesday, May 9th at 5:30 pm

NHS Home Buyer Education Webinar

Learn about the home buying process such as the basics of budgeting, improving credit, understanding the closing process and down payment assistance programs. This is an eight-hour course delivered in two 4-hour sessions.

When: Saturday, May 13th at 9:00 am (link to register) and Saturday, May 20th at 9:00 am (link to register)

Building a Future Narrative: Building a Financial Forecast

Financial forecasting involves predicting a company's financial future by examining historical trends and incorporating assumptions about the future. By having a forecast available, owners can better position the business to navigate good times and bad. Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/539632253597. This is a free event.

Where: QCDC Office (4210 S. Berkeley)

When: Monday, May 15th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Driving Small Business the Distance

Are you interested in doing business with the CTA? Lean about CTA's DBE certification process, hear about CTA compliance practices, and learn about Invoicing and Payment with the CTA. Register at bit.ly/3IPHcig. This is a free virtual event.

When: Wednesday, May 17th at 10:00 am

CPS Job Fair

Chicago Public Schools Talent Office is hosting a CPS Job Fair in the community for positions with CPS. Positions include teacher assistant, special education classroom assistant, nurse, security officer, cook, porter, crossing guard, tutor, bus aide, substitute teacher and many more. To register for the event, please visit bit.ly/CPSJobFair51723.

Where: Truman College (1145 W. Wilson Ave.)

When: Wednesday, May 17th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Know Your Immigration/Migrant Rights

Join the King Branch Library to discover your immigration and migration rights. This workshop will help you learn more about protections based on immigration status including information about U-Visa, T-Visa, VAWA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Defensive Asylum, as well as the Naturalization and Citizenship process. This program is in partnership with the Haitian American Museum of Chicago.

Where: King Branch Library (3436 S. King Dr.)

When: Saturday, May 27th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Foodservice Sanitation Manager Certification Class

The Illinois Restaurant Association has partnered with the Bronzeville Culinary Connection & Urban Juncture to offer a ServSafe Foodservice Sanitation Manager Certification class at no cost. Attendees must bring a valid photo ID, complete all hours of training, live or work within Cook County, and receive a minimum passing grade of 70% on the exam. Register at edurham@urbanjuncture.com.

Where: IRA Office (33 W. Monroe, Suite 250)

When: Thursday, June 1st from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Attending and participating in the Chicago Police's Community Policing Program (CAPS) is one of the best ways to address crime and quality of life issues in your neighborhood. By attending CAPS meetings, you can share important information with the police that will assist them in making arrests and preventing crime as well as receive valuable information about resources that promote homeowner and community safety. Visit www.chicagopolice.org to find out what district you live in and click on each district title to learn more about what is happening in your neighborhood.

1st District CAPS Meetings

Beat: 131

Date: May 17th at 3:00 pm

Location: For location information, please email Caps.001District@chicagopolice.org or call

312-745-4381

2nd District CAPS Meetings

Beat: 213/215

Date: May 23rd at 6:00 pm

Location: Our Lady of Africa - St. Elizabeth (44 E. 41st St.)

Beat: 221/223

Date: May 16th at 6:00 pm

Location: King Center (4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.)

Beat: 224

Date: May 25thd at 6:00 pm

Location: Taylor Park (39 W. 47th St.)

Beat: 225

Date: May 4th at 6:00 pm

Location: 2nd District Community Room (5101 S. Wentworth Ave.)

Beat: 231

Date: May 18th at 6:00 pm

Location: Good Shepherd Tower (55 E. Garfield Blvd.)