Bring on Spring!

At our last meeting, we noted that Pulaski Elston Business Association (“PEBA”) and SSA#79 will provide funding and management of bump-out and garden maintenance within the SSA service zone, which extends primarily along Lawrence and Pulaski. This aligns with Lawrence Avenue streetscape improvements that were approved in the last round of the 39th Ward’s Participatory Budgeting program. It leaves us responsible for just a few community gardens outside that zone. Thank you PEBA, SSA#79 businesses, and Alderman Nugent! Thanks also to our many volunteers, especially Wally Eliasen and Tom Keating, who have worked tirelessly for decades on our bump-outs and community gardens!

We also discussed efforts to assist relocation of the Thai Town Sculpture currently located on Pulaski Avenue just north of Montrose. Now that Thai Town has ceased operations, the owner would like to move the Sculpture to an appropriate location within the community. We have been working with him, Chicago Sculpture International and the Park District, with support from Alderman Nugent, PEBA, the North River Commission, and others, to find a proper home. Mayfair Park was proposed, but the Sculpture was considered overwhelming to the site. Current discussions focus on the portion of Eugene Field at the south-east corner of Foster and Pulaski, which has fencing, gates, walkways, lighting, and benches, making it a protected and inviting space to relax and view the Sculpture. We will continue discussion at our next meeting.

Finally, remember that April is National Poetry month, with celebrations throughout the City. We have worked with the North River Commission, Chicago Poetry Center, and local educational institutions, including NEIU, North Park University, Volta Elementary and Lawrence Hall, to coordinate storefront poetry installations and a series of Poetry Slams. Rany Management has generously provided storefront locations and installations will begin soon. Keep your eyes open and let us know what you think.
 
We hope to see you at our next Zoom meeting. See access information posted elsewhere herein.

2023 Meeting Schedule

Mayfair Civic Association meetings are generally held on the second Thursday of every month. No meetings are held in January, July, or August. These are the remaining dates for 2023. These are suggested meeting dates and topics, subject to any comments you may provide, but will be followed in the absence of alternative suggestions. Our Board generally meets quarterly as determined by Board members.

April 13 Zoning & Development	June 8 TBD	November 9 Annual Party Planning
May 11 Mayfair Park	September 14 Traffic & Parking	December 7 Holiday Party
	October 12 Elections

Membership Meetings

Here are some details from the February and March meetings of the Mayfair Civic Association.

Thanks to the neighbors, as well as to the offices of Alderman Nugent for Ward 39, Representative Mike Kelly for District 15, and Congressman Quigley for Illinois 5th District, for attending.

Reminder: The MCA is looking for a new treasurer!

If you or someone you know has accounting skills and would like to get more involved and contribute directly to your neighborhood, Mayfair Civic Association is looking for a new treasurer. Those interested can contact MCA President Ron Duplack at rduplack@rieckcrotty.com. Thank you for your support!

Public Art

Ron Duplack, MCA President, has been talking to a number of people about various initiatives to get public art installed throughout the neighborhood. Last year, plans by Mayfair Civic Association and Mayfair PAC to co-sponsor a sculpture installation with Chicago Sculpture International fell through. Duplack said that CSI is willing to present alternative sculptures again this year.

Duplack has also been in talks with Arun Sampanthavivat, who owns a beautiful Thai sculpture installation at the former location of the Taste of Thai Town restaurant at 4461 N Pulaski.

The sculpture is of a Thai figure and was made in Thailand. With the restaurant now being closed, Sampathavivat has agreed to make the sculpture available to the neighborhood if we could find an appropriate location. The sculpture has a figure inside a housing structure, and the whole thing has a fairly large footprint (approximately 7 1/2′ wide and over 12′ tall in the housing structure) that limits the number of places it could be located. However, the figure and the housing are separate, so it may be possible to reduce the footprint by having the figure without the housing. Meeting attendees considered multiple possible locations at both meetings, including:

• The area near the garden-lined entrance into the neighborhood from the Montrose blue line El station, or other similar vacant strips of land along the interstate or El line which are owned by different parties (IDOT, CDOT, etc.). Ownership of these locations would need to be determined.
• The garden at the corner of Elston and Lawrence, which was later determined to be too small.
• The southeast corner of Foster and Pulaski, which used to have a CTA bus lot, but is now part of Eugene Field Park.
• Mayfair Park or Gompers Park

Since our last meeting, we have been working with Chicago Sculpture International and the Park District, with support from Alderman Nugent, PEBA, the North River Commission, and others, to find a proper home. Mayfair Park was proposed, but the Sculpture was considered overwhelming to the site. Current discussions focus on the portion of Eugene Field at the south-east corner of Foster and Pulaski, which has fencing, gates, walkways, lighting, and benches, making it a protected and inviting space to relax and view the Sculpture.

Another public art project that Duplack has been working on is getting written poetry on banners that could be installed for display around the neighborhood for National Poetry Month in April. He was working with North River Commission and area real estate companies to coordinate with area schools for poetry to use and find locations to install them for display. The goal is to get the poems installed in mid-April.

Mayfair Park

Basketball court and baseball field updates

Gardeners wanted!

Other topics

Montrose Blue Line escalators

Some attendees mentioned that they’ve had to help people with mobility issues carry their luggage down the stairs at the Montrose Blue Line station. The station has two escalators, but they both go up. Instead, people thought it’d make more sense for one of them to go down instead of up, to address the mobility issue.

Barking Barrel location troubles

Due to delays in making progress with the property under consideration by Barking Barrel, discussed in the last issue’s President’s Letter, the company has decided to look for a different location.

The following are some highlights from the Alderman’s newsletters and other communications.

Participatory Budgeting Cycle 4

The 4th Cycle of Participatory Budgeting (PB) has begun! Please submit a proposal, and consider joining the committee.

Visit and Subscribe!

Visit https://aldermannugent.com/ to subscribe to Alderman Nugent’s newsletter and learn about what she’s doing for the 39th Ward. My office is open Mondays from 9am to 7pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm and Fridays from 9am to 3pm. While the office is open for walk-ins, appointments are encouraged. We ask that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask and maintain social distancing. Please reach out should you have any questions, comments, or concerns at 773-736-5594 or via email at Ward39@CityOfChicago.Org.

In the Neighborhood

Local Events and Information

Mayfair Park Events

Mayfair PAC meetings are held on the first Monday of every month at 6:00pm at the field house. The meeting in April is moved to April 10th due to Elections day.