Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Present: John Davidson (Park Supervisor), Jason Zaffaroni (Part-time Physical Instructor), 1st Ward Alderman Moreno, Denise Browning (WPAC-Co-President), Susan Fontana (WPAC – Co-President), Richard Tilley (WPAC – Treasurer), Doug Wood (WPAC – Secretary and Garden Club), Ryan Jackson (Softball), Susana Sandoval (Wicker Park Parents Association), Adam Housley (Dog Park), Tim Kolecke (Website), Elaine Coorens (Our Urban Times), Maria Stone (Friends of the Parks – Director of Neighborhood Parks and Community Relations), Scott Venable (Mosaic Church), John Shirk (Urban Encounter), Andria Dennis (Greenheart – Center for Cultural Interchange), McKenzie Collier (Junior League of Chicago), Nathan Tubbs (Church in the City), Tyler Culligan (Church in the City), Sam Anderson (Missio Dei Chicago), Cory Minton (Missio Dei Chicago), Millie Minton (Missio Dei Chicago), Ed Tamminga (Wicker Park Committee)

  1. Minutes – Doug Wood – December Minutes were read and approved.
  2. Treasurer’s Report – Richard Tilley- Report Submitted.
  3. Committee Reports
    • Dog Park Committee – Adam Housley – Adam announced a Dog Park Fundraising event to be held in February. The event will be called For the Love of Dogs and held at the The Twisted Spoke, 501 N Ogden Ave Chicago, IL 60622 on
      Saturday, February 12, 2011 – 7:00pm – 11:00pm. The Event is “A Valentine’s party to celebrate the furry ones you love…
      Feel the love with every pint purchased from our party keg of Three Floyds beer and participate in a silent auction for lots of great stuff with all proceeds going to the Wicker Park Dog Fund.” In addition, Adam is working on an April cleaning day – date to be announced soon.
    • Web Site Committee – Tim Kolecke – Tim did extensive updating and will include links to partners assisting with the production of 2011 events – and upload Dog Park Fundraising Event on the site.
    • Softball Committee – Ryan Jackson – All permits are underway – begins in Early May.
    • Gardens and Landscape Committee – Doug Wood – Attendance at the monthly landscape design lectures is high between 50-65; Home Landscape Design 7 week Saturday workshop is filled at 70 with people from all over Chicagoland attending. The Parkways Foundation awarded the Home Landscape Design Class $2,100.
  4. Staff Reports – John Davidson – Park Supervisor – No report submitted since we were having an Event Planning meeting. Questions about programming were answered – all classes are full.
  5. Nominations for New officers: Tim Kolecke-President, Scott Venable – Vice-President, Doug Wood-Secretary, Richard Tilley (Treasurer) Members who attended two meetings in the last year will vote at the February meeting.
  6. Community Discussion on Park Events for 2011. The Following list of events were discussed and determined to be producible. Details for each event are to be elucidated by each committee, then discussed at the February WPAC meeting. After we set dates, times, we will proceed with fundraising. The Alderman is interested in Many of these events. NEW FESTIVAL ON DAMEN? A. MORENO was asked about a potential event to be held on Damen by the Park – he said this event will probably not occur and is aware of the problems that resulted with holding events in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Damen. WPB will assist with e-news and red post options. THESE EVENTS supplement the Park District Sponsored Events – Valentine’s Day (February), Meet the Bunny (April), Summer Movie in the Park (Date to be Determined), and Haunted Drive In Movie (October)
    • BIG MULCH DAY – Saturday April 30 – 10am-3pm – Mulch all trees in park then Seminars
      Wicker Park Garden Club, Green Heart, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Roberto Clemente High School Students, Urban Encounter. OTHERS INVITED – 50 volunteers total:
    • PUPPET SHOW – Set Dates and Time – Tyler Culligan – Church in the City OTHERS INVITED:
    • BOOKED – Earth Day Event – Saturday, April 16 – 10am – 1pm – Greening Education, Greening Art,
      Dog Park Cleaning, Children’s Activities, General park cleanup,
      Wicker Park Garden, WPAC, (Will try to get Psycho Babies Store Again and others) – OTHERS INVITED:
    • BOOKED – Plant Sale – Sat. Sun. May 7, 8 – 10am-4pm
      Garden Club’s Annual Fundraiser for Gardens with Educational Greening Workshops
      Wicker Park Garden Club and Roberto Clemente if needed OTHERS INVITED:
    • CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL – SUGGESTION – Saturday, June 11 or 18 – 10am-3pm
      Missio Dei Chicago, Mosaic Church, Junior League of Chicago, Urban Encounter, Wicker Park Garden, Puppet Show? Possibly Alderman Moreno and Covenant Presbyterian. OTHERS INVITED:
    • OPEN MIC – Determine Date and Numbers of Events – SUGGESTION WEEK DAY – ALL SAME DAY OF WEEK
      SAME WEEK OF MONTH – LIKE – 3RD WEDNESDAYS of June, July, August, September?
      Church in the City, Urban Encounter, OTHERS INVITED
    • MOVIES IN THE PARKS – Summer Months – Determine Date and Numbers of Events
      EACH ONE IS ABOUT $1,000 – WILL Check 2011 Prices
      Mosaic Church, Alderman Moreno? OTHERS INVITED:
    • EDUCATION FAIR – Pending WPC Board Discussion
      Wicker Park Committee AND 1st Ward Moreno OTHERS INVITED:
    • HALLOWEEN EVENT – Saturday, October 29 – 10am-2pm
      Missio Dei Chicago, Mosaic Church, Alderman Moreno? OTHERS INVITED:
    • FOUNTAIN DECORATING SOCIAL – Saturday, Sunday, November 19, 20 – 10am-4pm
      Wicker Park Garden, The Care of Trees – OTHERS INVITED:
    • EDUCATIONAL/FITNESS SERIES PROGRAMMING Children, Adults, and Senior Adults – Fitness, Art, Sports, etc
    • Grant Writing- Brainstorming: Susana Sandoval, Doug Wood OTHERS INVITED: