Dear 43rd Ward Neighbors,

In the past week alone, we experienced peak summer on a day when our beaches were full, peak winter on a day when our windshields were covered with snow, and peak spring and fall on days of sweaters and open windows. We experienced highs like the Gold Coast Neighbors Association Mulch-athon — where neighbors of all ages helped beautify the park (photo below) — and lows like the increased crime surge in the Loop. The Chicago Police released a statement in the aftermath of this troubling behavior. They wrote, “CPD responded to several large groups of juveniles and young adults in the downtown district engaging in reckless and disruptive behavior... Those engaged in criminal activity will be arrested and held accountable.” You can read more information on this here. We will be working with our court advocates to follow the fifteen arrests, which include nine adults and six juveniles on a variety of charges.

Yesterday I strapped on my helmet and biked to City Hall for our final City Council meeting before the inauguration in mid-May. With 16 alders retiring next month, it was a day of reflective speeches on the victories and challenges that Chicago experienced over the past four years. These retiring leaders served bravely throughout the pandemic and cared deeply about their communities. We thank them, including our very own former Alderman Michele Smith, for their service to our city. Come next month’s inauguration, 16 new alders and a new mayor take office. From my discussions with incoming alders, I am confident the new council has a shared belief that we need to capture this moment of change to do the most good for our communities and the city as a whole. 

It’s with that North Star in mind that I am so honored to continue serving each of you and our beautiful 43rd Ward for a full term. In the past seven months, our office has focused on increasing community safety, modernizing our constituent service system, strengthening our neighborhood schools, and more. Throughout these months, I have had the gift of learning from an amazing 43rd Ward staff, whom I will never stop thanking. 

Our office is kicking off the new term with no time wasted. First, we are undergoing many meetings with community leaders in order to set goals and result-oriented processes of working together. In addition, we will be releasing a community survey via this newsletter in order to keep an active pulse on all your priorities and concerns. Finally, we are setting the groundwork to move our current office space, bring back Ward Nights, create a volunteer pool, and more!

When I think about how it feels to live in this community, with some of the best neighborhoods, parks, and lakefront in the world – the words love and gratitude come to mind. The 43rd Ward is an amazing place to live and lead, and I don’t take either for granted.

Sincerely,

Alderman Timmy Knudsen

Public Safety

Wintrust Bank Old Town will be hosting a FREE Public Safety and Situational Awareness seminar on Tuesday, May 2nd at 5:30pm in our Atrium. Officers from the 18th District and Representatives from the Chicago Office of Emergency Management & Communications (OEMC) will provide everyday tips and precautions that will help attendees identify, prevent and react to potentially dangerous situations in your everyday life.

Please see attached for additional information. Please RSVP no later than May 1st - please note, due to capacity limitations, this seminar may fill prior to that date.  

Residents have reported to our office that people are walking door to door stating they are from ComEd or 'your power company'. They do not possess proper ID and are requesting to see residents' bills or log on to the app on their phones.

DO NOT provide any information to any individual who does not have proper ID from any type of utility provider.

ComEd will not ever request personal information, or your account number or try to sell you services at your door. Call 1-800-COMED to report any such behavior.

If you have a Ring or another type of doorbell camera, please contact the police and provide a screenshot if possible.

Click here to report a scam and to read about possible ComEd scammers.

Community Events

Neighborhood Registration (for grades K-8) wIll be held at Mayer School on:

April 18-20, 10am-2pm

April 25-27, 10am-2pm

Families must bring the following enrollment documents in order to register.

Enrollment paperwork can be found here. Please print and complete documents prior to arriving. Paper copies available at school as needed.

Join Senator Sara Feigenholtz, Representative Margaret Croke, and the 43rd Ward office for a paper shred and recycling event on Earth Day!

Limit 2 boxes/ containers per household.

Lincoln Central Association is partnering with the Old Town Triangle Association to host an Earth Day clean up and beautification event at Ella Jenkins Park.

Kids, families, dogs, and friends are all welcome, and supplies and refreshments will be provided. There is no cost to participate and tax-deductible donations are welcome.

Register here.

Join the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce for Lincoln Park Uncorked: An Armitage - Halsted Wine Stroll on Wednesday, May 10 for the ultimate wine tasting adventure. Sip and stroll your way through charming boutiques and restaurants in one of Chicago’s most famous and historic shopping districts!

Frequently Asked Questions

There is an upcoming resurfacing project on northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from W. La Salle Drive to W. Lawrence Avenue and southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from W. Lawrence Avenue to W. Irving Park Road. These traffic lanes are part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Arterial Street Resurfacing – Term Project, in the 43^rd, 44^th, 46^th and 48^th Wards.

The work will include milling the existing asphalt pavement, roadway patches, asphalt paving, and permanent pavement marking.

During construction, temporary lane closures will be set up as required for each activity listed above. Lane closures will be removed daily during rush hour traffic. These restrictions are 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM for northbound traffic and 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM for southbound traffic. With these restrictions, the majority of the work will be completed during overnight hours.

43rd Ward Office Hours: M-F 9 AM - 5 PM

 2523 N. Halsted | 773-348-9500 | yourvoice@ward43.org