Wicker Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Present: John Davidson (Park Supervisor), Jason Zaffaroni (Part-time Physical Instructor), Tim Kolecke (President & Website), Richard Tilley (Treasurer), Doug Wood (Secretary and Garden Club Coordinator), Denise Browning (WPAC & WPGarden), Susan Fontana (WPAC & WPGarden), Adam Housley (Dog Park Coordinator), Sam Anderson (Missio Dei Chicago), John Shirk (Urban Encounter and Wicker Mic), Elaine Coorens (OurUrbanTimes), Susana Sandoval (WPPA), Clintina Taylor (WPPA), Linda Stauff (WPPA), Toni Anderson (WPPA)

  1. Minutes – Doug Wood – March Minutes were read and approved.
  2. Treasurer’s Report – Richard Tilley– Report Submitted
  3. Committee Reports
    • Dog Park Committee – Adam Housley – The Dog Park Committee is scheduling a cleaning day to coincide with the Big Mulch Day and Living La Vida Verde on Saturday, April 30. The committee will fund new pea gravel and work with Susan Fontana to place the order.
    • Web Site Committee – Tim Kolecke – Tim reported on Web site updates, hits, links to events, and partner’s pages. He will purchase WickerPark.org and donate it to the WPAC.
    • Softball Committee – Ryan Jackson – Absent
    • Gardens and Landscape Committee – Doug Wood, Denise Browning – Gardening in the Park began Sat. April 2. The March lecture was held at Wicker Park Lutheran due to Park District closure on that day. The topic was the Bloomingdale Trail project and included design elements and updates from the Trust for Public lands with Michael Wilkensen as Guest Speaker – from Wilkensin-Blender Architects. Over 80 people attended. Julia Bachrach, Park District Historian will present a talk April 4 at the filed house. The Garden Club will present 300 seed packages to Wicker Park Choral Singer’s Concert Goers and a Green Information table on Saturday, April 9 at the Wicker Park Lutheran Church. On Earth Day, if it is not raining, the club will work with children to plant lettuce to take home and other greening activities. On April 30, the Big Mulch Day and Living La Vida Verde will be presented in the park. All members of the community are invited to come mulch and give back to their park. The annual Plant Sale and Workshops Fundraiser will be held on Saturday/Sunday, May 7, 8 from 10-4 on the West side of the field house – inside the gym, if raining.
  4. Staff Reports – John Davidson (Park Supervisor) and Jason Zaffaroni (Part –time Physical Instructor)

    The report included updates on Pre-School Programming (Moms, Pops & Tots Interaction, Playschool Activities, Nerf Soccer, and Lil’ Kickers –Starting in June); Park Kids (Update from Jason Zaffaroni, Family Field Trip to Wolves Games-70 attended); Jason reported on School Age Individual /Team Sports and Fitness Update Area/Regional (3on 3 and 5 on 5 soccer), In-House leagues (floor hockey league, 5 on 5 soccer), Cubs Care Instructional Baseball League, Regional Track & Field, and Junior Jazzercise. There will be a Spring Break Camp from Monday, April 18-Friday April 22. with a movie day, soccer tournament, field trip to Haunted Trails Entertainment Center, and another field trip to Pump It Up Entertainment Center. The Summer Camp Registration sold out on 4/4/11 and the in person registration will be Saturday, April 9 at 9am. Teen Scene events for February-June were outlined as were an upcoming special event – Mr. Hippidy Hop on April 23 (18-36 months-10am-11; 3-5 years – 11am-noon; 6-9 years – 12:12:30; 10and over-12:30-1pm. John Davidson and the WPPA announced their initial plans to work on the children’s event section of the Green Music Festival. John had a series of events proposed: Activities Area (Family Boot Camp-The Big Winner, Polar Public Skate-Synthetic Ice Rink, Inflatable Golf-Driving Range, 2 Inflatable Activity Stations, Celebrity Splash Seat), Children’s Stage (Kids that Rock-Kiddy Karaoke, The Big Kahuna’s Sounds of the Island, Park Kid’s Mid-Day Mix with Park Kids Dee Jays, Park Kids Junior Jazzercise-Fun Family Fitness, Girls Rock Chicago), Information/Activity Booths (UIC Healthy Eating & Nutrition Program, The Museum of Science and Industry, Bicycling Ambassadors, Anti-Cruelty Society, North Shore Message-Kiddy Astronaut, Chicago Park District’s Nature Program, The Chicago Park District’s Special Recreation Department).

    A discussion followed. It was apparent that the WPAC events committee members who were working with the Alderman to insure that the park was secured during the green music event with funding coming from the event producers – not the Park District – and the WPPA who were also working with the alderman were not aware of each other’s activities or goals. We will speak with the Alderman and his staff to avoid this lack of communication in upcoming weeks. The goals of the WPAC committee in regard to the Green Music Fest were discussed in the March WPAC meeting. One WPPA member – Susana Sandoval and John Davidson were present.

    In addition, many WPAC members asked why John Davidson created such a spectacular list of events for the Green Festival, but did not give any input or suggestions to the WPAC Children’s Carnival discussions that have taken place in the advisory council meetings since January. He stated that he created the list in just a few hours and that he would work with the WPAC and obtain the same events if we decided we’d like them for the WPAC Children’s Carnival.

    John Davidson asked Tim Kolecke if the Advisory Council would donate $500 for summer scholarships to the Park District WPPA account. No discussion on this topic. It was noted that we are producing many community events that require funding.

  5. Community Discussion on Park Events for 2011. Each committee submitted updates on Summer Events.
  6. New Business – None.

Adjourned at 9pm