Wicker Park Advisory Council

Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Dan Puente (Park Supervisor), Tim Kolecke (President), Richard Tilley (Treasurer), Doug Wood (Secretary), Sylvia Ramos, John Shirk, Denise Browning, Elaine Coorens, Susan Fontana, Jane Wenger, Lamonte Smith, Alison and Lou Neighbors (they came late and left early – did not leave last name)

  1. Minutes from August 2012 – Doug Wood – Read and Approved
  2. Treasurer’s Report – Richard Tilley – Submitted Report
  3. Park District Report – Dan Puente (Programming, Work Orders, New Initiatives)
  4. Dog Park – Adam Housley – Absent – Emailed – No updates and Fall Cleaning to be announced.
  5. Softball – Ryan Jackson – Absent – No Response
  6. Website – Tim Kolecke – Boo-Palooza uploaded and various other updates complete.
  7. Teen Group & Mosaic Church Volunteer Support – Scott Venable – Absent
  8. Landscape – Doug Wood & Denise Browning reported that the 2012 lecture series will begin on Monday, October 1 with Christy Webber delivering a talk. The garden tending and watering has been going well throughout the entire drought and heat this summer.
  9. PARK SUPERVISOR’S REPORT – Dan Puente – 200 children are registered for the Fall Programming: 120 in the Tots classes and 80 in the after school Park Kids Program. Provisions for the teacher strike were discussed and a list of participating parks was reviewed. Wicker is not part of the provision for the strike. The Halloween Movie series will screen the Pirates of the Carribean series:

    Oct 26- 6:30pm – $2 Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of Black Pearl
    Oct 27 – 2pm – FREE Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest
    Oct 27- 6:30pm – $2 Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End
    Oct 28- 6:30pm – $2 Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides

    The basketball was upgraded and will soon be painted. Two children were nominated by Scott Venable for scholarships – Dan is contacting the Parent’s Association to support these from the Green Fest Funds they received. The phones are still not working and many work orders have been submitted like the broken playground equipment: benches, men’s rest room, etc.

  10. SECURITY CAMERAS AND ON SECURITY – We have not been successful in encouraging the 14th to submit CLEAR Reports to OEMC. If these reports are submitted with the information that we give the 14th (photo of vandalism, approx date and time), the OEMC will pull tapes to elucidate the vandals. The SSA decided to not fund the ON Security (Thursday-Sunday – weeks – 2 guards) because they choose to fund other priorities (not defined). No response from 1st Ward Office to agreed to help support this service.
  11. TRAIN CAR CAFE – The letter was read and approved for submission to the Chicago Park District Board of Supervisors, the Park District Executive and Regional Staff, the Park District’s Park Enhancements Committee, 1st and 32nd Ward Aldermen, Chicago Housing Landmarks Group, the WPB SSA #33, Chamber, WPC, Friends of the Parks, and neighbors. The letter out lined opposition to building a permanent vending building at the corner of Wicker Park Avenue and Damen Avenue.
  12. 2013 BUDGET HEARING MEETING– (Thurs. 9/20/12) The letter was read and suggestions were made to add numbers for park usage, an upgraded water feature for playground, and more funding for custodial supplies. Letter will be edited and submitted to Park District Central Administration, 1st and 32nd Ward Aldermen, Community Organizations, and neighbors. Tim Kolecke will attend the meeting an present the letter with a 2 minute delivery.
  13. WPB SSA PRESENTATION: All were reminded that we would have a report called WPB 5 Year Update from WPB SSA #33 at WPAC – October Meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 2 – TIME – 7-7:30.
  14. EVENTS UPDATES

    Boo- Palooza – Saturday, October 27 – 10am – 2pm; Set up 8-10; Strike 2-4pm
    The group discussed the recruitment of volunteers and talent for the event, as well as funding and scheduling activities. Assignments were made for a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 25. Assignments: Sylvia – contact schools to see if they want tables, performance times, etc. Elaine – Determine Clemente contact information and solicit volunteer and performance contacts at Montessori and Holy Trinity. Susan and Denise – Research and purchase supplies, gifts, prizes, etc.

ADJOURN 9PM