Horner Park Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Jerry Giese, President, called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Larry Brown acted as secretary for this meeting. The council welcomes Cynthia Fox from Friends of the Chicago River to the meeting.
Previous Minutes: February minutes were passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: Elaine Taylor presented the report.
Checking $ 6,087.43
Savings 4,160.70
Total 10,245.58
The council agreed to move funds form the concert ledger to the gardening ledger as the gardening ledger had a negative balance.
Council Business: The council authorized the expenditure of $ 200.00 to purchase plants for the parks from the Manor Garden Club’s annual plant sale. The council will be holding their election next month. The council approved $ 50.00 for flowers to be sent to Alan Mueller who recently had surgery. Elaine Taylor was to procure the arrangements.
Council members Michael Holm, John O’Connell and John Lyman are going to form a committee to proceed with establishing a council website.
Council member Larry Brown is going to put together a proposal for the CPD to hold a HPAC event at Horner Park as way to raise more funds for the projects that the council is overseeing. A copy will be discussed at a future meeting before it is submitted to the CPD for approval.
Announcements: The Horner Park Children’s Easter Egg Hunt will be held on March 26th. Horner Park will also hold, due to a huge turnout last year, the Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs also on March 26th. Horner Park Summer Camp registration begins online on March 28th with in person sign up being held on April 2nd. On May 7th at 7:00 PM the Chicago Jazz Institute will be holding a concert in the Horner Park Field House. Chicago River Day will be held on May 14th.
Concert Committee: John O’Connell reported that the committee has formed and decided on the following 8 dates for concerts. June 12, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 31, Aug 7 (ManorBash), Aug 21, Aug 28 (Talent Show). Many thanks to the committee which this year is John O’Connell-Chair, Susan Urban, Larry Brown, Chris Moran and new council member Michael Holm, who has offered to help produce some of the acts this year.
Garden Committee: Susie Novak reported that the paperwork has been submitted for her employment with the park district. Dale Marie Grandys reported it is going to take several weeks to process the position. Dale also reported she may be able to procure some plants from the Park District’s greenhouses for planting in our parks.
Park Briefs: Terry Sweeney, Horner Park Supervisor, and Dale Marie Grandys, North Region Manager, from the CPD were in attendance at this meeting.
Horner Park: The Summer Camp program will include 7 camps this year. Including 3 art camps, 1 nature camp, 1 tiny tot camp and 1 theatre/music camp. Dale Marie Grandys reported that continued efforts have been made, but no avail, to contact the owner of the old bus stop bench that has been abandoned in the park at California and Irving Park. If no contact is made the CPD will remove it themselves.
Baseball Fields: John Lyman reported that he and Terry Sweeney had met and have set a meeting in March to have the softball team captains come to a meeting to discuss the field conditions and what they can do to be part of a solution. The Chicago Public Schools that use the park will again be encourage to meet with the council to discuss the need for there input in improving the fields when they put in their annual permit requests.
Ravenswood Manor Park: The parkway along Manor Ave. at the north end of the park is still sustaining vehicular tire damage. Dale is looking into a temporary fix.
Buffalo Park: No Report
Jacob Park: See Report Below
Sunken Garden Park: See Report Below
Horner Park Riverbank Initiative: See Report Below
Friends of The Chicago River Update: Cynthia Fox, Friends of the Chicago River (FOTCR), was invited by John O’Connell to give the council an update on the Friends of the Chicago River programs. Cynthia reported that Chicago River Day is going to be held on May 14th. Cynthia reported that there has been a lack of funds agency-wide in the city for moving forward on any projects along the Chicago River. Cynthia supplied the committee with pamphlets on their Adopt-a-River Program and asked that the council consider participation in the program in conjunction with the HPRI. FOTCR will keep the council informed of anything that they would hear about further movement on the HPRI within the CPD and Chicago Water Reclamation District. The council asked Cynthia to look into developing a plan to gain access to the river at both Jacob Playlot, with the adjoining CTA property and at Sunken Gardens. Cynthia would see if the FOTCR could tour these parks on Chicago River Day to visually inspect what course of action should be taken. FOTCR’s Laurene von Klan is going to be meeting with the neighborhood dock owners association to build a better relationship with them. Jerry Giese provided FOTCR with contact information for the Greater Rockwell Organization, which may be helpful to their efforts. Cynthia advised the council that the FOTCR’s website would be available for the council to post events and bulletins. Cynthia invited the council to attend their annual Volunteer Appreciation party at Goose Island Brewery on March 18th. The council invited Cynthia back to the council’s June 1st meeting.
Jerry Giese thanked all those in attendance and the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted, Larry Brown
Roster of those in attendance: Jerry Giese, President; Elaine Taylor, Treasurer; Larry Brown, Secretary; Terry Sweeney, Horner Park Supervisor; Dale Marie Grandys, North Region Manager; John O’Connell; Susie Novak; John Lyman; Peter Schlossman; Michael Holm; Larry Hodak; Cynthia Fox, Friends of the Chicago River
