Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes June 19, 2006

Present: Kelly Torres (Park Supervisor), Julie Dickinson (WPAC Co-President), Denise Browning, Richard Tilley, Kelly Greeby, Nick Sommers, Doug Wood, Donna Whitacre, Jeff Allen (WPAC Co-President), Patrick Humphries, Dan Marre, Cynthia Rosario (Area Supervisor), Lorrie Elliott (secretary), Jose Alamana, Peter Debrency.

  1. Approval of May minutes: approved.
  2. Supervisor’s report:
    1. Dog Park: CPD won’t pay for new gravel but the gravel we need will cost only $200.
    2. Computer: CPD doesn’t supply parks with computers. Dell price is $550 for computer, flat screen, and monitor. Julie Dickinson contacted Cynthia to see if the CPD has shareware software. Microsoft Office would be about $100. Cynthia will look into whether we would be able to get a computer via the CPD (generally they only pay for computers for large parks). The CPD won’t allow Internet access (except Humboldt, since it’s an area resource center).
    3. Moms/Pops/Tots program: Many of the toys are following apart and need to be replaced. There is $500 in the account raised for this purpose (may be $400 if we save money for basketball scholarships). Age group is 0-5. We will see if we can get donations from people of old toys. J. Dickinson will take this on, J. Allen will contact a friend with old toys. D. Wood notes Wicker Park Committee is having a community garage sale on the weekend of Around the Coyote; we will consider selling items
      there as well.
    4. Seasonal staff: Still missing one park attendant for the summer season and appears that we will not get one (was not put in the budget, although the WPAC was promised this would happen in December 2005). There will be recreational leaders for the summer. Cynthia notes the current park attendant (Millie) will be offered more hours. Doug notes this is the first year we have not had a seasonal attendant in the budget – last year there was a budgeted position that was filled but that person never showed up. Cynthia notes the landscaping crew will also have seasonal attendants which will help pick up trash, etc. Kelle notes he will be switching staff around so there are at least two people here on Sundays as well. Current staff for the summer is six rec leaders who do programming, two additional year-round rec leaders (one full time and one part time), the Park Supervisor, and two attendants (one full time and one part time).
    5. K. Torres is interested in increasing program for 4-5 year olds and teenagers (16-18). He is looking for ideas. D. Whitacre suggests soccer for the 4-5 year olds. D. Wood suggests adding a teenager art class in the fall. D. Wood requests that Park or
      Area Supervisor make sure the fall gardening and garden classes are listed on the web site.
    6. K. Torres noted that CPD bought basketball hoop locks and has requested we lock the hoops (although WPAC was not supportive of this at April meeting). The weekends he cannot lock the hoops since he would have do so at 5pm. Motion to
      write an email to Art Richardson and Alderman Manny Flores reiterating our opposition to locking the courts, and that security in the park has fallen off and we request greater support.
    7. CPD support for events in the park: D. Wood notes that when an event is booked, the CPD is supposed to supply security and waste management. However, at both the music event and the children’s carnival, it’s not clear they actually came. They did set up the climbing wall and tables for the children’s carnival, but did not pick up the trash nor send someone to run the wall.
  3. Treasurer’s Report: Carnival $2197 taken in: $600 in raffle tickets, $110 worth of water, $70 from photographer, $35 for snacks, took in $897 (and $1300 in advance from sponsors). Expenditures $989 to date ($1097 per K. Greeby). Biggest single expenditure was music magic for $300. We will make a total of $1500. $8713.26 in bank as of today. Parkways: still waiting for approval of plaque.
  4. Committee reports:
    1. Dog Park: CPD will not pay for new gravel per K. Torres. They are supposed to empty the trash three times a week, but that has not happened. We will look further into obtaining gravel.
    2. Fountain Court Committee and Trio Event recap (D. Wood): Several donors identified for benches. Donors are aware of issues surrounding plaque (CPD has not yet come up with a policy). D. Wood has arranged extensive publicity for the Fountain Court committee. Funds for printing have come out of the WP Garden Club. He is also working with the Coyote music curator for their mailing list.
    3. Playground: Teeter totter continues to be broken. A swing is broken as well. Bears not spitting much water now, but the mud is not an issue now. There is also ongoing discussion about putting donor benches around the council circle. Gate on Damen is now in place! Soft surfacing is now replaced. Tile project: artist requests 50% deposit and says total cost is $3200. WPAC recalls the quote being $1800 instead and will investigate original quote.
    4. Garden Club: Has had art show with the kids; also did the tile project. Summer classes are beginning. Plant sale made about $1500. CBS-2 is doing special segments on park and gardens. Chicagoland Gardening magazine is also going to have a special on the park and garden. The Coyote is now a Park Partner and will have performances on a stage in the round. Movie will occur on Sept 9, “The Princess Bride”. Sculptures installed in gardens and playgrounds done by kids.
  5. Other business: Renegade Craft Fair has posted on their website that they will be here on Sept 16-17. Rhyme Spitters has put in paperwork to proceed here as well.

Meeting adjourned at 9: 10 pm.