Horner Park Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Jerry Giese, as president, called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Larry Brown acted as secretary for this meeting.
Previous Minutes: Anne Rozmin moved to accept the February minutes with minor corrections. Elaine Taylor seconded and they were passed.
Treasurer’s Report: Elaine Taylor delivered the Treasurer’s report. The balances are as follows:
- Checking Account: 3,680.48
- Savings Account: 4,134.80
- CD’s 0
- Totals $ 7,815.28
Announcements: There will be a children’s concert at Jacob Park on June 26, 2003. Citizens for Cullerton sent an invitation to the council to march with the Cullerton Marchers in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. John O’Connell reported his recent attendance at the Friends of the Park(FOTP) 28th Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon, held on February 6, 2003. This years Park Advisory Council Award went to the Senn Park Advisory Council. This was in recognition of their building a new children’s playground. Our council is invited to the Friends of the Park’s Annual Volunteer Recognition Reception on March 16, 2003. Their will be a Chicago Park District meeting on March 19, 2003 to discuss the development of DuSable Park located at the mouth of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. The spring 2003 FOTP newsletter was presented. April 26, 2003 will be the Earth Day cleanup of the gardens in our parks. The Art Institute of Chicago’s May/June 2003 Potpourri was presented. Of interest was a bus tour scheduled for May 2nd, 12th and 20th which is called A Day in Chicago’s Parks. A letter to the council from Comcast was presented. Comcast would like to work with local community leaders to improve the community. The council agreed to contact them for future fund raising.
Council Business: A motion to allocate $ 200.00 to purchase plants for the Manor Park Nature Garden was made by John O’Connell. Larry Brown seconded and it was passed unanimously.
Jerry Giese’s letter to the Department of Planning regarding the Rezmar development on Irving Park Ave. was approved for mailing.
Concert Committee: John O’Connell reported that the concert dates have been established. June 15th and 29th. July 13th, 20th and 27th. August 10 will be ManorBash. August 17th and the Talent Show will be on August 24th. Four shows will be produced by Susan Urban. Three shows including Manorbash by Larry Brown and Chris Moran will produce the talent show. Chris is a long time neighbor and is now on the concert committee. Many thanks to Chris. John O’Connell has purchased 500 sheets for the fund raising flyers which will be out by the end of March. The committee decided to modestly raise rates for advertising in the program.
Garden Committee: Susie Novak reminded those in attendance of the upcoming Henry Horner Memorial Garden cleanup on March 22, 2003. The Manor Garden Club pruning clinic will be held on March 29, 2003 at Manor Park. The garden committee would like to add additional plants to the Manor Park Nature Garden.
Park Briefs: Terry Sweeney, Park Supervisor and Dale Marie Grandys, North Region Supervisor, were representing the Horner Park Staff and CPD.
Horner Park: The Spring Showcase will be held on March 21, 2003. The annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on April 18, 2003. A preview of summer courses will be available online at the CPD web site on March 24, 2003. Summer registration will be begin online March 31, 2003 at 9:00am and regular sign up will be on April 5, 2003. As the winter online registration was a failure, we are all hoping for better results this time. Regular registration has always been smooth. The CPD has urged their supervisors to conserve water. Terry Sweeney suggested that three out of the ten drinking fountains could be turned off. Fountains near the concessions would be eliminated first. Nic Acciari of the Horner Park Baseball Association is still working with Alderman Mell to upgrade the bathrooms at the maintenance building. The CPD “Mini-Arboretum” plan has been shelved until at least 2004. Someone is nailing signs on the trees along California Ave. A red fox has recently been seen tracking water fowl down the bank of the Chicago River in the park.
Ravenswood Manor Park: The council agreed to have Jeff Levine remove the Mimi Levine memorial sundial which was located in the park. Unfortunately it was not able to handle the park’s more aggressive users. Replacement plants will be planted in the Nature Garden as some of the original plants have been destroyed. The council would like to know when the CPD would be able to pour new cement for the sidewalk in front of the pergola. Dale Marie Grandys’s will put in a word and see if that would be possible.
Buffalo Park: No report
Jacob Park: A kids concert will be held on June 26, 2003 to bring attention to the recently spruced up park.
Sunken Garden Park: Jerry Giese reports a slow process is crawling along with the local residents.
Horner Park Riverbank Initiative: John O’Connell reported to the council a chance encounter he had with Kathleen Dickut of the Chicago Department of Planning. Kathleen has offered that the council can contact her to discuss any on going planning concerning the Irving Park Ave. under bridge connector. Jerry Giese was to follow up with Kathleen. Dale Marie Grandys informed the council that Bob Foster, who is in charge of the development on the north side of the Chicago River for the CPD, would like to set up a meeting with all of the Advisory Councils whose parks are along the Chicago River. Bob is to contact Jerry Giese to arrange this. The Riverside Neighbors who care for the rivers edge across from the park have offered to give more input regarding this project. We at the council want these neighbors and all park users to know that the Horner Park Advisory Council is a public forum for anyone interested in any aspect of Horner Park. Any and all are always welcomed. It was reported that the City of Chicago is in the process of assuming control of all of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s property from Addison to Lawrence.
Adjournment: Jerry Giese thanked all those in attendance and the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Larry Brown
Roster of those in attendance: Jerry Giese, President; Larry Hodak; Anne Rozmin, Vice President; Susie Novak; Larry Brown, Secretary; Jacob Peters; Elaine Taylor, Treasurer; John O’Connell; Dale Marie Grandys, North Region Supervisor, CPD; Terry Sweeney, Park Supervisor, CPD.
