Tuesday, April 18, 2023 | View in browser
4th Ward News
Happy Earth Month, Fourth Ward friends and neighbors!
Please join me this Wednesday evening at a special ward meeting focusing on local climate action. Evanston’s Sustainability and Resilience Coordinator Cara Pratt will be previewing her annual greenhouse gas report and I’ve invited some guest speakers from several local groups: Climate Action Evanston (formerly Citizens’ Greener Evanston), the City of Evanston’s Environment Board, and the Repair Café. We’ll also have someone to talk about solar energy options.
I hope to see you on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Robert Crown Community Center, Room B. Meanwhile, please provide your feedback on the proposed new ward map—see below for more information on redistricting and other topics:
- Ward Meeting and Office Hours Schedule
- Redistricting
- Earth Month Events
- King Home Neighborhood Meeting
- 4th Ward Parks
- Evanston Beach Passes
- Evanston Women’s History Mural
With regards,
Jonathan
Ward meetings and office hours
Ward Meetings
All Ward meetings will take place at 7 p.m. at the Robert Crown Community Center:
- April 19 (Wednesday—not the usual day): Climate Action and Sustainability focus
- May 2 (back to the usual Tuesday): Evanston business and economic development focus
- June 6 (Tuesday): public safety focus (tentative)
Office Hours
Office Hours will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on the following Saturdays. Drop by for a chat, no appointment necessary:
- May 13: Reprise Roasters, 710 Main St.
- June 10: Berry Pike Café, 1100 Davis St.
- July 8: Outside at Fountain Square
 New proposed ward map.
Redistricting: please comment on proposed new ward map
The City’s Redistricting Committee is developing a new ward map based on 2020 census data. The new proposed map is available for public viewing and comment.
Why are we redistricting? Evanston’s current ward map has been in effect since 2003, after the 2000 census. Federal case law states that redistricting is required since the total population change per the 2020 census is 20.4 percent, well above the limits for the old map to be considered compliant.
How can I provide input? You're encouraged to submit a public comment online regarding the proposed map. You can also provide a public comment in-person at the Redistricting Committee meeting on April 25.
 Earth Month events
Downtown Evanston: Friday, April 21, 10 a.m. to noon
Celebrate Earth Day with Downtown Evanston by volunteering at their Spring Clean Up! Grab your coworkers, workout buddies and family members to help pick-up trash downtown. Downtown Evanston will provide gloves and bags and direct volunteers to areas where trash tends to accumulate. The group that collects the most trash will receive an Evanston Gift Card! There will also be coffee and donuts for all volunteers. Feel free to bring your own mug.
Please sign up and include the number of people in your group.
Main Dempster Mile: Saturday, April 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If you can’t make it downtown on Friday, then head out to Main Street on Sat., April 22 for an Earth Day cleanup hosted by Main Dempster Mile. Supplies will be provided - trash bags, gloves, and a route map for you or your group. Grey Park included! Show your wristband for some nice treats from neighborhood businesses.
Sign up to attend and check for weather updates.
 Photo by: Daily Northwestern
King Home Community Meeting
All are welcome to a neighborhood meeting to learn about a proposal to open an “apartment hotel” at the former King Home, 1555 Oak Ave.
What’s an apartment hotel? A little bit of one, a little bit of the other. Technically, it’s a hotel with dwelling units with en suite accommodations (kitchenettes) and in which at least 25 percent of the rooms are occupied by short term guests. (The old Homestead on Hinman Avenue is an example).
The property, which formerly operated as a senior assisted living facility, has been vacant since 2017, when it was purchased by Wilmette-based real estate investor Cameel Halim, founder of the Halim Time & Glass Museum across the street.
Meeting details:
Saturday, April 29, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
King Home, 1555 Oak Ave.
 Grey Park dog park update
We’ve kicked the tires on this idea of adding a dog area to Grey Park. I’m pleased to report that enthusiasm in the neighborhood is high so we’re moving forward with the process. Timeline TBD. It will probably be next year before it’s complete. There is not much to report yet, but I’ll keep you in the loop.
 Larimer Park renovations
Reminder: The second of three community meetings about the Larimer renovation is scheduled for this evening, April 18. The City’s design team will present several options which have been developed based on the first neighborhood meeting on January 18, and solicit feedback to inform the final design stage. We’ll do a third neighborhood meeting in a few months (June?) when the final design is ready to share.
Neighborhood Meeting #2 of 3
Tuesday, April 18, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (open house style)
Nichols Middle School
 Evanston Beach Passes are now available!
The City's public swimming beaches will open on Sat., May 27. After the lifeguard shortage last summer, we’re full steam ahead for a full summer this year. The most popular beaches will open Memorial Day weekend and after a second lifeguard academy (June 12-20) we plan on having all of the Evanston beaches open for the season.
To ensure all community members can access and enjoy Evanston public swimming beaches, the passes will once again be free for Evanston residents. Community members can pick up passes for their household with proof of residency (60201 & 60202). Beach passes will be available at the Robert Crown Community Center, Levy Senior Center, Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, Ecology Center and Chandler-Newberger Community Center during their normal office hours. Passes will not be available at the Morton Civic Center.
Evanston season beach passes/daily tickets are mandatory
New for summer 2023, all beach patrons must present a season beach pass or daily ticket to enter the beach. IDs will not be accepted at beach entrances. Proof of residency for each person in a household is required to obtain a beach pass. No pass is required for children under the age of one.
Evanston Women's History Mural: invitation for input
Art Encounter Evanston's Mural Arts Program is leading an exciting mural project this year, celebrating the lives and legacies of notable women leaders in Evanston history. The mural will be painted by a team of artists led by veteran muralist Dorian Sylvain on a public wall in downtown Evanston. Art Encounter is working with two community partners, the Evanston Women’s History Project at the Evanston History Center and Shorefront Legacy Center, to develop the content for this mural.
Please share your input! On Sat., April 29 at 11 a.m., the team is gathering at Evanston Township High School to hear stories of Evanston women who you think should be included in the mural. Following the session, the artist team will use this input to develop the design for the mural.
Jonathan Nieuwsma
Councilmember, 4th Ward
jnieuwsma@cityofevanston.org
www.cityofevanston.org
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