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Due to recent news, many residents have reached out to my office concerned about the future of CPS leadership and the Chicago Public Schools budget. CPS is facing a large budget gap – over $500 million. And while CPS leadership will undoubtedly struggle to close this gap, I agree with many of you that the District should not take out a short-term, high-interest loan. By the end of 2026, federal Covid-relief dollars will sunset. With that looming cliff in mind, we should prioritize structural solutions over one-time actions that risk kicking the can down the road.
To the extent the Mayor or anyone else is advocating for CEO Martinez’s removal because he opposes this proposed loan, I disagree with that position. To be sure, our local schools need more resources to fund special education services, mental health professionals, and building improvements (to name a few). And there should be robust conversation about the most appropriate ways to fund these needs, including improved collaboration with our State and Federal partners. However, I don’t believe a short-term, high-interest loan should drive conversations and decision-making.
Staying on the topic of schools, on Wednesday I joined members from the Queen ofAngels community to unveil Honorary Ossie Ballew Way. Ossie was a crossing guard with Queen of Angels at Western and Sunnyside for over 33 years, helping keep countless kids safe at this busy intersection. Her loss is felt deeply and she will remain in our hearts.
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of participating in a ribbon cutting celebrating the recent opening of Bayan Ko Diner. Located on Montrose near Ravenswood, Bayan Ko Diner is a fusion of Filipino and Cuban cuisine and is led by the team behind Michelin-recognized Bayan Ko.
I hope you all have a restful weekend. If you’re looking for something to do, consider swinging by the annual Sustainability Market at the North Center Town Square on Sunday. (Details here.) And all my best to the artists who will be performing with Midnight Circus in the Parks at Welles Park this weekend! Midnight Circus is still looking for volunteers for this weekend, so if you have time, you can find more information about how to help below.
Yours in service,
Alderman Matt Martin
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Upgraded Street Lights, Trash Bins in Lincoln Square
The City is close to completing modest but important improvements in the heart of Lincoln Square! First, they replaced the decorative street lights along Lincoln Ave to provide updated, reliable lighting.
Additionally, our office worked with the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce to upgrade public trash bins to keep our neighborhood clean. These new bins are designed to prevent bins from tipping over and to reduce trash falling out.
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Bayan Ko Diner is Open
This week, Alderman Martin attended a ribbon cutting for Bayan Ko Diner (1810 W Montrose Ave) which serves Cuban and Filipino cuisine.
Bayan Ko has been a Ravenswood favorite since 2018. Their original restaurant, just next door, recently moved to a prix fixe format and were featured in the Michelin Guide.
Be sure to stop by their new diner to revisit old favorites and try new dishes!
Learn more
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Free Flu and COVID Shots
October 19th from 10 AM to 2 PM
Get your free flu shot and/or covid-19 booster at Sulzer Library, 4455 N Lincoln Ave. No insurance or ID necessary.
Thank you to the Chicago Department of Public Health for partnering with us on this important event.
Register
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Midnight Circus at Welles Park
September 27th-29th
Midnight Circus is back in Welles Park! Come celebrate their first show back under the big top with guest performers, raffles, giveaways, and the spectacular Midnight Circus show. Bleacher seating is available but feel free to bring blankets for ground seating. They're still looking for volunteers to set up and tear down the concessions tent.
Learn more
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Provide Feedback: Upcoming Public Meetings
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Free Composting Drop Off Sites
Chicago opened composting drop off sites across the city where you can bring your household food scraps for free. These sites are open daily from 7 AM to 7 PM.
The closest locations to the 47th Ward are:
- 5333 N Western Ave
- 3143 N Rockwell St
Learn more
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Hunger Action Month: Get Involved
In Northcenter, Common Pantry serves more than 1,000 households per month, up about 66% from last year.
Block Club recently spotlit Common Pantry's important work and newly expanded space, allowing them to offer more services including nutrition education.
For Hunger Action Month, consider volunteering with a local food pantry:
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Unclaimed Property? Find out if you have lost funds with the Treasurer.
Since 2015, the Illinois Treasurer's Office has returned over $2 billion in assets. The office holds lost funds until they are claimed by the original owner or their heirs. It is quick and easy to check if you have lost funds on the Treasurer's website.
Search for lost funds
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Elections, Voting, and the Media: Educational Event at Sulzer Library
October 2nd at 6 PM
The Chicago Board of Elections will demonstrate and discuss how a voting machine works and professors Dick Simpson and Michael Anthony Deas will talk about the 2024 election and the media.
Learn more
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Reduce Waste Sustainability Fair
Sunday, September 29th
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Join Reduce Waste Chicago for their 3rd annual Sustainability Market at the Northcenter Town Square. This family friendly event provides an opportunity for neighbors to shop, learn, and get involved.
At the event, you'll be able to recycle difficult to recycle materials including:
- laptops, smartphones, ink and toner
- children's clothing, legos, school supplies
- blankets, bath towels, socks
Learn about accepted items
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Request a Free Tree Planting
Chicago is working to plant 75,000 new trees to improve air quality, combat urban heating, and reduce greenhouse gases. A recent study in Louisville, Kentucky found efforts like these also improves health outcomes.
You can request that a tree be planted in your parkway for free. After you place your request, Streets and Sanitation will confirm there is space for a tree and leave a door hanger to notify you that a tree is on the way.
Request a tree
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Neighborhood Clean Ups
This fall, there are a number of opportunities get involved in local clean up efforts. Learn more about volunteering opportunities:
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Clark Park Work Day, September 28th, Learn more
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Ravenswood Elementary Fall Beautification Day, September 29th, Learn more
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Graceland West Leaf Clean Up, November 9th, Learn more
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Movie Screening: The Biggest Little Farm
Sunday, October 6th
The Andersonville Sustainability Community Alliance is hosting a free screening of The Biggest Little Farm at Bramble Arts Loft (5545 N Clark St). This family friendly event includes a perception with light bites and a virtual Q&A with the filmmakers afterwards.
RSVP
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Explore a Career in Manufacturing
Mixer on October 2nd
Consider a career in manufacturing! Join local manufacturers for a mixer at KOVAL on October 2nd from 4 PM to 6 PM. You'll have a chance to learn about job opportunities, resources, and maybe even reconsider how you view manufacturing in Chicago.
Register
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Resources
Businesses
- New Community Development Grant, Awards up to $250,000, Learn more
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Become a Park District Vendor, Learn more
- Apply to be a Concessionaire at O'Hare, Learn more
Workforce
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Falcons Sandwiches: EatLocal Review
Falcon's Sandwiches (1968 W Lawrence) were recently reviewed by local Youtubers EatLocal, and received a glowing review for its smashburger. They're offering back to school specials for teachers and students!
Watch review
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New Development Proposals
Read about the development proposals that the 47th Ward Zoning Advisory Council will be hearing this month and to provide feedback to the Alderman. Those proposals include:
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2053 W Irving Park Rd
The applicant is seeking to change the zoning from B1-1 to B2-3 to allow them to demolish an existing single-family home and construct a 4-story mixed-use building with ground floor commercial and 9 residential rental units above. The residential units would consist of 3 studio loft units and 6 3-bedroom units.
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1821 W Berteau
The applicant is seeking a zoning change from RS-3 to B2-3 to allow the building to be sold to be used as office space. Historically, this building has been used as office space. Since 2004 when the City of Chicago completed city-wide rezoning, the building has been legal non-conforming in that use. The previous office tenant left the building last year, causing the legal non-conforming use to lapse. In order for it to be used as office space in the future, the building would need to be rezoned.
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Open House: Connecting Communities on Broadway
Monday, October 7th
Join an open house to discuss priorities and goals for land use planning and zoning on Broadway from Devon to Montrose. The open house will be at Furama Restaurant (4936 N Broadway) from 6 PM to 7 PM. This meeting is hosted by the 46th, 47th, and 48th Wards as well as the Department of Planning and Development.
RSVP
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Public Safety Update
On September 25th, the Chicago Police Department made an arrest in connection with a series of robberies and burglaries across the north side earlier this year, including a robbery along the 4600 block of Western on June 20. This individual has been charged with six counts of felony burglary and six counts of felony robbery. My thanks to the 19th and 1st District Officers for their work on this case, as well as CPD’s Burglary and Robbery team.
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Survey: Chicago Police Department Budget Priorities
As one of the largest parts of the city budget, the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) is required to review and recommend changes to the proposed police department budget. CCPSA wants your feedback to inform their recommendations this year.
Survey
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In the News: Data-Driven Tactics Prove Effective In Bridging Chicago's Safety Gap
Leaders from University of Chicago Crime Lab published an op-ed advocating for improvements in public safety management, which they say result in big returns with modest investments. As an example, Crime Lab provided the police department and violence interruption organizations with analytics to make better, real-time decisions about resource allocation.
"The promising fact about this strategy is not just that it can prevent the most socially harmful type of crime (gun violence) without exacerbating arrests and other harms from enforcement itself, but also that it's feasible: It doesn't require coming up with millions or billions of new dollars to hire huge numbers of additional police officers or implement expensive new technologies."
Read more
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Upcoming Public Safety Meetings
- Police Beat 2033 Meeting - Wednesday, October 2 at 7 PM at 1226 W Ainslie
- Find your beat
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Week Without Driving
September 30th - October 6th
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Nearly one third of people living in the United States - people with disabilities, young people, seniors, people who can't afford cars or gas - rely on walking, rolling, transit, and asking for rides.
This coming week, consider participating in the Week Without Driving Challenge to learn about barriers nondrivers face and how we can create more accessible communities.
The Challenge is hosted by partners like America Walks, Sierra Club, and Transportation for America.
Learn more
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Construction Updates
You can find updates on major public infrastructure projects on our website, including:
- Greenview/Cornelia Gas Main Replacement
- Ainslie Resurfacing
- Green Alley - Irving/Ashland/Paulina/Belle Plaine
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Leland Greenway Construction
Construction on the Leland Neighborhood Greenway has begun! This project, which has been under discussion since 2019, will bring traffic calming improvements to Leland Ave from Rockwell to Clark to provide a calm and pleasant bike route as an alternative to Lawrence Ave to get from the river to the lake. The protected portion between Western and Lincoln will be completed next year as part of the rebuilding of the Western Brown Line Plaza and adjacent areas. You can review more details, and documents from previous community meetings, here.
Contractors are building curb extensions at intersections along the route. This work will have to be completed before striping can happen.
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Damen & Leland People Spot
Work has begun on the construction of a new People Spot, designed and funded in partnership with the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce. You can find out more about GRCC’s People Spaces Program here. The project is expected to be completed in October.
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Giddings Plaza Paver Replacement
Work is nearly complete on Giddings Plaza, where crews are replacing all the pavers to remove tripping hazards. They will complete the work early next week, ahead of Apple Fest.
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Arterial Resurfacing: Western Ave (Foster to George)
CDOT has started work on a large-scale repaving of Western Ave, for which Alds. Martin and Vasquez acquired funding last year. While paving will only go from Waveland to Foster, concrete improvements reach as far south as George St. This project will include pedestrian safety improvements in the form of curb extensions and refuge islands. CDOT will also be making improvements to transit facilities, including bus bulbs and bus-only lanes. Transit and pedestrian improvements on Western will extend as far south as George St.
Crews have started concrete work on Western between Ainslie and Waveland (excluding the area immediately around the Brown Line). They have sawcutting the concrete to remove sidewalks and curbs wherever necessary. This week and next, they will begin removing and replacing corners and sidewalks on the west side of Western, moving south from Montrose.
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Arterial Resurfacing: Damen Ave (Wilson to Farragut)
CDOT is their large-scale repaving of Damen Ave, for which Alds. Martin and Vasquez acquired funding for last year. This project includes pedestrian safety improvements in the form of curb extensions and raised intersections at Leland and at Winnemac. They will also include improvements to bicycle facilities.
Crews are working on concrete work on the west side of Damen moving south from Argyle toward Wilson. They have sawcut the concrete at all corners and begun to remove sidewalks and curbs, starting at Ainslie, ahead of crews returning to pour new concrete, including curb extensions. They will then work back north up the east side of Damen once they reach Wilson.
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This Weekend
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Midnight Circus in the Parks, September 27th-September 29th, Learn more
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Clark Park Work Day, September 28th, Learn more
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Ravenswood Presbyterian Bingo Night, September 28th, Learn more
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Bird Walk in Welles Park, September 29th, Learn more
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Reduce Waste Sustainability Fair, September 29th, Learn more
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Pulling Back the Curtain on Overdose, September 29th, Learn more
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ONE Northside Town Hall: Building People Power, September 29th, Learn more
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This Coming Week
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High School Maker Drop In, October 1st, Learn more
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Fall Job and Resource Fair, October 2nd, Learn more
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Elections, Voting and the Media, October 2nd, Learn more
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Veterans Affairs Office Hours, October 4th, 11 AM to 3 PM at Ward Office
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Ravenswood Elementary Walk-a-Thon, October 4th, Learn more
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Movie and Potluck at Senn: In The Heights, October 4th, Learn more
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Next Weekend
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Apple Fest, October 5th-October 6th, Learn more
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Bartleby's Halloween Party, October 5th, Learn more
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Comic Book Roundtable: The Joker, October 5th, Learn more
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Roscoe Village Kidical Mass, October 6th, Learn more
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Welles Park Bird Walk, October 6th, Learn more
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Andersonville Fall Wine Walk, October 6th, Learn more
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Biggest Little Farm Movie Screening, October 6th, Learn more
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Later in October
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CPS Arts Education Roundtable, October 7th, Learn more
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Connecting Communities on Broadway, October 7th, Learn more
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Ward Night, October 9th, Learn more
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North Branch Works Fall Fest, October 17th, Learn more
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Tattler Post Karaoke Night, October 17th, Learn more
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Cornelia Arts Building Open Studios, October 18th-19th, Learn more
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47th Ward Flu Clinic, October 19th, Learn more
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Roscoe Village Halloween Block Party, October 20th, Learn more
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Chilli Cookoff to Benefit Revere Park, October 20th, Learn more
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Community Job Boards
Looking to work locally? Many of our local chambers of commerce offer job boards to help highlight openings at local businesses. Find more information at the following links:
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47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin
4243 N Lincoln Ave | 773-868-4747
Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
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