Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting March 30, 2005, Minutes

  1. Discussion of Dog-Friendly Area (DFA)
    1. Users of the dog park attended and agreed to form a dog run committee to help maintain and improve the park. Committee includes: Eric Kiander, Sean Burke, Noel Ashby, Rochelle Guindon?, Alicia Chrisler, Greg Finlayson, Cynthia Provow
    2. Recommended that representatives from WPAC meet in the dog run area once a month between 5:30 and 7. This is when a bulk of local users are there.
    3. Issues:
      1. Asked if outside of neighborhood pose an issue? Not so much, but the DFA users would like to have materials about how other neighborhoods can start their own DFA’s. This might help relieve the congestion.
      2. Children in the run – sometimes parents/caregivers don’t even have dogs! Discussed possible solutions including:
        1. sign prohibiting kids (apparently not allowed to restrict park to people??)
        2. Advisory sign strongly encouraging no kids
      3. Capital improvements needed
        1. Need more railroad ties around gravel and in area of old tree.
        2. Need more gravel.
        3. Brought up ramps and tunnels as in NYC.
      4. Park only is only committed to 2 power washings a year and providing additional gravel. All other maintenance must be done by volunteers. Last year they had to call the CPD and ask for this basic maintenance twice.
    4. Need to have at least one member of the Dog Run committee attending WPAC meetings to update and make sure we all provide a complete view of the park.
    5. Fundraising for capital improvements:
      1. Only need to go around with a clipboard and flyer during peak hours
    6. Action Items:
      1. Greg – help Kelly to set up the power washer
      2. Kelly – bring up issue of children in DFA at Monday CPD meeting
      3. Kelly – provide Greg with costs of railroad ties
      4. Committee – determine capital improvement needs and costs
      5. Committee/Julie Dickinson – create flyer for fundraising
      6. Committee – select representative (or rotating rep) to attend WPAC meetings
      7. ?? – look into Marshfield as an example of a successful DFA
  2. Tile Project
    1. Seed grant application was denied (with verbal support for both the project and activities at WP)
    2. WPAC voted to fund tile project with our current dollars. $350 is already earmarked for this project.
    3. Also decided to request a $5 suggested donation for tiles that will be done by the kids.
    4. Would like to launch at the Kids Carnival and first Farmer’s Market, June 26th
    5. Shooting to mount this fall
    6. Action Item:
      1. Kathe – talk with artist to set up
  3. Special Events Committee report
    1. WPAC Special Events in WP this year – Kid’s Carnival, Theater, Concert
    2. All events organizers will fund raise to cover major costs. WPAC can pick up incidental costs if needed.
    3. Small banner under Friends of WP banner on Damen would cost around $65. Could list all three events.
    4. Could sell bracelets like the Lance Armstrong ones as fundraiser
    5. Talked about promoting all three events together under the theme Play, Enjoy, Grow
    6. Kids Carnival – Tricia Allen lead organizer
      1. Decided to hold Sunday, June 26th starting at 11am. The Farmer’s Market ends at noon and we hope to capture some of that traffic. We could also move the event into the Field House if there is rain. (we should include that in the promotional materials)
      2. Agreed on reserving the Jessie White Tumblers at the total cost of $350
      3. Decided against petting zoo
      4. Chicago Parents classified has contacts for clowns, balloon twisters etc.
      5. Sponsor ideas included: Northside café, Chicago Parent, Bright Horizons. We could charge the entertainers as they can market their services to a large audience. Lisa offered to help here.
      6. The Alderman’s office has a free blow up jumper
    7. Theater – Julie Dickinson lead organizer
      1. Decided to hold August 4th
      2. Event organized by Chicago Actor’s Studio see attached proposal for details
    8. Concert – Morgan Smith and Matt Stangl lead organizers
      1. Would like to host the band “The Sons that are Never Wrong”
      2. Band charges $3K but will go for less for a good cause. Group did not have any ideas as to a reasonable offer.
      3. . Need to determine a date
    9. Action Items:
      1. Lisa – share vendor letter with event organizers and help with Kids Carnival (back up leader as Tricia is due 3 weeks earlier)
      2. Committee members – get proposals to Kelly soon
  4. Outreach Committee
    1. Jeff Allen working on flyer for different key areas of park
    2. WPAC decided to make homemade containers to distribute flyers instead of purchasing Lucite boxes as we did before – recycling
    3. www.ourwickerpark.org is live any edits can be sent to wpac@ourwickerpark.org
    4. Action Items:
      1. Jeff – create flyers
      2. Julie – website edits and additions
      3. Committee – create distribution containers for flyers
      4. Committee – Make sure WPAC presence is there for the Earth Day clean up 4/23
  5. Play sculpture update – Jeff has made calls but the artist has not responded. Still open
  6. Brick Fundraising
    1. Donna is revising the brick sales tri-fold. CPD is revising rules again since last round were too restrictive. Donna expects to have this completed by May.
  7. Announcements/New Business
    1. Reminder, Earth Day Events: Earth Day Prelude 4/16 and Earth Day 4/23 please attend clean up 4/23
    2. Gates for playground: K. Telingator will take digital photos and email to M. Morales, who will investigate how much this would cost and what needs to happen at the CPD
  8. Next meeting : New Member meeting, Monday, April 18, 7:00 pm
    1. Officer Nomination, Monday, May 16, 7:00 pm
    2. Officer Elections, Monday, June 20, 7:00 pm