Welcome to the 9th Ward community website! This site is a resource for 9th Ward residents, folks considering moving into the ward, and for anyone interested in our neighborhood. Whether you’re looking for a solution to a problem about City services, considering volunteering on a City commission, or wanting to get involved in your neighborhood or block, this site is your first step.

This website is one way to build a “two-way street” between the ward’s residents and businesses and my office. It’s my hope that the site becomes a virtual neighborhood center, where we help out each other and make the 9th Ward a better place to live, work and play.

Feel free to take the site on a “test drive.” If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please e-mail me and I'll respond with an answer.

Coleen

May News in the 9th Ward

May News in the 9th Ward

Happy Spring!

Please join me in welcoming Mayre Press as the 9th Ward Communications Manager. She has resided in the ward since 1990 and is a freelance writer whose credits include the Evanston RoundTable,Natural Awakenings magazine and COE Highlights. Mayre will produce the 9th Ward News each month as well as post events and updates to the website.

Paul D'Agostino, Superintendent of Parks/Forestry confirmed last week that some of the trees lost to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) would be replaced soon. The schedule for the 19 replacement trees on these blocks (600, 700, 800) of Oakton is as follows. "We will plant 6 new trees this spring, 6 new trees this fall, and 6 new trees in the Spring of 2013. The last replacement must wait until the Spring of 2014 because we must plant directly on the existing stump site and we need time for the stump to decompose before we can plant a new tree," Mr. D'Agostino said.

At its April 16th meeting, City Council approved the Yellow Line Station engineering feasibility study recommendation for a new stop at Asbury Avenue. See the related story below for more details.

Best regards,

Coleen Burrus
9th Ward Alderman

If you have any questions about upcoming events or issues with the website, please contact the 9th Ward Communications Manager, Mayre Press

Ridgeville's Farmers' Market Opens

Ridgeville's Farmers' Market will open for the season on Wednesday, May 30, with hours from 3:30pm to 7pm (or until dark). Stop by South Evanston's only mid-week Farmers' Market. Enjoy the health benefits of buying fresh local and organic produce, artisan breads, cage-free eggs, fair-trade coffee and delectable sweets. Use this opportunity to connect with local growers and vendors while supporting these independent business owners. As in past seasons, the district promises that musicians will add to the festivities throughout summer so stay tuned!

Resident transforms yard into wildlife haven

A house on Oakton Street stands out to the casual observer for a few reasons. First, it is deeply setback from the street with a huge front yard. Second, a sign on the front fence indicates the yard has met the criteria for a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) wildlife habitat designation. A third and sad reason is the recent loss two ash trees in the parkway.

When Danielle Schultz moved there in 1993, she didn’t set out to develop a wildlife habitat. “I home schooled my daughter and creating a welcoming place for birds and other wildlife, was part of a science project,” Schultz said. Of course, having critters attracted to your yard has its risks. Specifically, rabbits have decimated her tulip beds and Schultz’s dog Beau has been sprayed by a skunk on three occasions.

“We see tons of birds, including a bluebird, many yellow warblers and a Baltimore oriole. Also butterflies, possums and a snake or two,” she said.

To prevent birds from flying into her house's large windows, she affixes decals and recommends that other homeowners do the same. "May and September are flyover periods for migratory birds," Schultz said. Warbers and thrushes are two of the species that can be seen locally. For anyone who is interested, World Migratory Bird Day will be May 12, 2012.

When she’s not pulling garlic mustard stalks from her garden, Schultz runs Haven Financial Solutions out of her home as a fee-based only service. She is a certified financial planner (CFP) and a member of the Financial Planning Association. Click here to visit her website and blog.

Pace Route 250 Switches to "Posted Stops Only"

To improve on-time performance and clearly identify the locations where buses will stop, Pace will convert some selected fixed routes to Posted Stop Only service. Beginning May 13, 2012, Pace Route 250, which starts at Evanston’s Davis Street CTA station and ends at O’Hare Airport, will be converted to Posted Stops Only service along the entire route. For riders, this means that buses will stop to pick up and drop off passengers only at locations with Pace bus stop signs.

Pace Route 250 links downtown Evanston to the Des Plaines Metra station via Dempster and continues south to O'Hare. On Route 250, Pace bus stop signs have been installed at all boarding /alighting locations. Pace asks that all riders using this route to please board/alight Route 250 at these posted signs. A list of these stops will be available onboard buses and online at www.PaceBus.com.

Click here for a list of stops within Evanston effective May 13. For more information and the complete route schedule, click here>>> and to view the Pace notice, click here>>>.

On many Pace routes within Evanston and other communities, it has been customary for passengers to board a bus by waving to the operator at any intersection where it is safe to do so. These are called Flag Stop Routes. Other Pace routes serving city residents will continue to be Flag Stop Routes, including routes 208, 213 and 215. This change will only affect Pace Route 250.

Council Accepts Asbury Avenue Choice for Yellow Line Station

The Yellow Line Station Engineering Feasibility Study had its first public meeting in June 2011. After three public meetings, two surveys and assorted PowerPoint presentations, its findings were presented to the City Council on April 16, 2012.

A proposed stop at Asbury Avenue was recommended over other possible stations at Ridge and Dodge avenues. Factors that made Asbury the most feasible option included: nearly 5,000 people reside in the vicinity, an estimated 263,000 annual riders could use the stop and a $23 million construction cost.

Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, asked that Council accept the report and “allow the City of Evanston to take the next step, which is to seek funding.” Her motion was accepted unanimously.

Those who would like to know more about the study are encouraged to click here for the final report and go here to visit the project’s website.

For questions regarding the Newsletter please contact: Mayre Press 9th Ward Communications Manager This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it The Evanston 9th Ward Message Board is a great venue to communicate with both the Alderman as well as other residents. forward to a friend
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