About

ABOUT US

The Wicker Park Advisory Council (WPAC) consist of volunteers who meet on a regular basis to support the functioning of Wicker Park.  WPAC has been a 501c3 organization since 2002. View the WPAC 501c3 PROFILE.

THE BOARD – 2023 Update

John Shirk – President

Grant Drutchas – Vice-President

Elaine Coorens – Treasurer

Mike Runkle – Secretary

Doug Wood – Coordinator of The 10,000 sq. ft. of Ornamental Gardens, Waste Managment, Graffiti Removal, Communications

Mike Payette – Parliamentarian

Denise Browning – Finance/Plant Sale and Gardens

Kristin Drutchas – Dog Park

Leah Root – Fundraising and Sponsorship

Susan Fontana – Programming and Events

Amy Shirk – Hospitality

 

The Council works with:

  • the park supervisor and other Chicago Park District staff
    • advising them on the needs and concerns of the community
    • making recommendations and suggestions regarding Wicker Park
  • with numerous Chicagoland artists, educators, businesses, and churches to enhance programming and events in the park our events series, called the CREATE Series

 

Incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as the Environment, Mental Health and Social Well Being, our initiatives have helped:

  • Improve our neighborhood as well as other Chicago neighborhoods
  • Provide Park programming and neighborhood environmental improvements

 

WPAC at work:

  • Outreach work began in 2005 after Mayor Daley met privately with us and asked us to train other communities, city-wide, how to create programming, events, and gardens in parks.
    • We trained representatives from over 30 parks in neighborhoods populated with all races, ages and economic groups in programming and event development, fundraising, promotions, and volunteer recruitment
    • We delivered seminars on development at the Park District’s annual Park Advisory Council Symposium, to community organizations and to The Chicago Master Gardeners
    • We provide this work each year
  • Funding, Programs and Events in Wicker Park each year are made possible by volunteers, individual donors and support from our residential and business communities with sponsorships and donations from two major annual fund raisers:
    • Boo-Palooza: an October event that treats over 3,000 people to 4 hours of fall entertainment, games, contests and parades for all ages of humans and canine friends too
    • Wicker Park Plant Sale with/by the Wicker Park Garden Club
  • Organizing and producing the 12 months of programming and events each year in the park.

 

TIMELINE of actions and accolades for WPAC’s – Incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as The Environment, Mental Health and Social Well Being

 

  • 2005– Mayor Daley met with us and asked us to extend our work with programming development and landscape/gardens to other parks in the city so that all neighborhoods in Chicago could have enriched programming and gardens.  We began this outreach work in 2005.  That year, we presented the eight-week long Park Kids Art & Garden Class, funded by the Friends of the Parks, in 4 Parks: Austin Town Hall, Harrison Park (in Pilsen with Special Needs Young Adults), Commercial Park (West Town) and Wicker Park.
  • 2005– Chicago Park District drafted a Special Resolution to honor the work of the Wicker Park Advisory Council’s programming and park landscape design work that provides a destination spot for people from all over Chicagoland.
  • 2005-Present – Mentorship Work:  We have been contacted by the Chicago Park District, Friends of the Park, and Chicago Parks Foundation to work with representatives from all over Chicagoland to teach them how to improve their environments, design programming, raise funds, and promote the programming to their neighborhoods.  Much of this work led to improved programming and gardens in those parks. This collaboration created more options for people of all races, ages, and ethnic backgrounds living all over the city.
  • 2005-Present – Mental Health and Social Well Being– We have regularly worked with people experiencing homelessness in our park to incorporate them so that they develop a sense of ownership of the park’s gardens and feel welcome at the events and programming. We have placed some of these people in jobs at the park, at private homes and found funding for others. These opportunities and our approach to those experiencing homelessness, has helped provide a sense of ownership and pride for these people while at Wicker Park. In 2020-2022, during COVID-19, our park’s landscape and gardens provided a much-needed respite from the isolated and depressed moods created by the shutdown. In a recent survey, the Park’s Gardens and Fountain Court ranked tied for #1 as destination spots in the park.
  • 2005-Environment & Landscape Design Training – State Environmental Hero Award:  Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn awarded us the Environmental Hero Award in 2005 for our work with the Wicker Park Gardens and for our work to train people from all over the city in our Home Landscape Design workshop.  In the class we trained home owners, schools, churches to create landscapes for their neighborhoods to enrich the lives of those that live there. Those who could not afford the $100 registration were given scholarships so that they could learn the techniques and then go back to their communities and create welcoming landscapes.
  • 2009 – Chicago Flower & Garden Show – Landscape & the Environment: The Chicago Park District requested that Our Partners – Wicker Park Garden Club – design a 55-foot diameter exhibit to promote community gardening and environmental enhancement at the 2009 Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier – thousands attended. The Parkways Foundation funded Michael Thompson, an artist, to design a solar panel inspired 30ft ‘kite’ sculpture floating above the installation. In addition, the artist worked with children to make paper and create their own kites that were displayed as part of the exibit. The children were present at the opening of the show and showed their work to the public. The exhibit incorporated the concepts of constructive environmental living (solar panels, recycling, greening) and was designed and maintained through a collaboration of 10 parks citywide partnership. All plants were recycled to those parks after the show closed.
  • 2012-Present– Partnership to CREATE– We have worked with Businesses, Social Organizations, elected representatives, seniors, and schools to develop, fund, and present programming, events and volunteer opportunities that serves as an educational, social, and wellness enhancement for people from all over Chicagoland.  Each year in January, we invite artists and wellness organizations to meet with us and work to design that year’s CREATE Series.  This invitation process has led to exciting outcomes in Wicker Park Programming and has developed strong ties between us and people from around the city.
  • 2015 – Park Advisory Council of the Year Award – Wicker Park Advisory Council won The Chicago Park District’s and the Parks Foundation’s Park Advisory Council (PAC) of the Year Award for our extensive community produced programming, outreach to other parks, fundraising efforts for park improvements, and for our development of the 10,000 sq. ft. of ornamental gardens that are designed, funded, and maintained by the Wicker Park Garden Club in Partnership with the Wicker Park Advisory Council and the Gardens in the Parks Program.
  • 2021-Present– We have offered info tables to community mental health leaders at our events to assist them with helping to spread the word. These centers are especially important for the numerous homeless that we have met in our park.
Contact Us Today if You are Interested in Becoming a Member of the Wicker Park Advisory Council WPAC@WickerPark.org
President

John Shirk

Vice-President

Grant Drutchas

Treasurer

Elaine Coorens

Secretary

Mike Runkle

Contact us today you are interesting in becoming a part of the Wicker Park Advisory Council.