General Iron Update
Local School Council Elections Next Week
Office Closure for Easter and Passover
Shred Event Upcoming
Dear Neighbors,

You may have read that General Iron applied for new permits to operate at their old location in Lincoln Park. Those permits have been denied quickly and are likely not to succeed on appeal. Here are the denials.

Our community's swift reaction of alarm at the prospect of General Iron's potential return is unsurprising. Over decades of operation, both the business of metal shredding and the nature of our community have dramatically changed. General Iron's facilities in Lincoln Park are outmoded and resulted in numerous violations over the years. Virtually all the heavy industry in our area is no longer there.

What is at issue now is the future of these sites - and the below picture is the future:
General Iron is immediately adjacent to the massive Lincoln Yards development. This is what a fully built out Lincoln Yards will look like, according to developer Sterling Bay. Note two things: most of the "green" in this drawing is non-usable "green roofs" on buildings. Note also that this drawing shows the General Iron site completely covered in trees.

The bottom drawing shows what could be built in the adjoining area on the North Branch of the Chicago River. In sum, The 700+ acre North Branch area is expected to have a population increase of 50,000 - and there is no public park.

Consider the consequences to our area from this new population. The closest public area to Lincoln Yards is Oz Park - the busiest neighborhood park in the city. The third busiest public park in the United States, is Lincoln Park, right next to our area.
At Least 50,000 More People and NO Public Open Space
General Iron Site Could be Developed with more High-Rises

The North Branch Park Preserve is the answer to this dilemma. Proposed long before the approval of the Lincoln Yards project, converting the General Iron site to a park would provide much needed recreational and naturalized areas to the North Side and create opportunities for all Chicago to access the Chicago River.
River and Trails Connecting the Entire City

We are encouraged by Mayor Lightfoot's announcement of investments in a citywide network of trails, including the African-American Heritage Water trail with our partners Openlands and People for Community Recovery. Most of the projects in the announcement have been in development for some time. The NBPP project has always envisioned a trail along the east bank of the Chicago River for walking and cycling, as well as recreational space and a naturalized border. This trail network, which utilizes both rivers and land, demonstrates again that our rivers connect us.

The North Branch Park Preserve and the African-American Heritage River Trail commit the Chicago River to all people to experience it, not just to those who want a beautiful view from a fancy office or condo.

Please contact your elected officials and encourage them to stop a land grab for this site - downzone the site to Public Open Space to save it from development.
Local School Council Elections Next Week

Elementary Schools: Wednesday, April 20
Lincoln Park High School: Thursday, April 21
Polls Open 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
In person voting only

Parents/community members can vote for up to five candidates in any combination. For ballots, voters can mark “X” for the candidate of their choosing. Community members can vote at the elementary school where their home is within the boundary and at the local high school. Parents can vote at their child’s school and their local elementary and high school.

To view a list of candidates, click here.

Each eligible voter in the election for parent and community representatives shall be entitled to cast one (1) ballot and one (1) vote per candidate for up to, but no more than, any five (5) candidates in the election. Casting more than five (5) valid votes will SPOIL the voter's ballot while casting fewer than five (5) valid votes will not. Voters may cast only one (1) ballot for parent/community representatives at each school at which they are eligible to vote.
Office Closure: Friday, April 15th, 2022, and Monday, April 18th, 2022
Return to normal operations on Tuesday, April 19th, 2022

In honor of the Easter holiday and Passover, our office will be closed this Friday through Monday. We will return to normal 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in person operations on Tuesday.
43rd Ward Earth Day Shredding, Recycling and Prescription Drug Take-Back Event
Sunday, April 24th, 2022
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
2430 N Cannon Drive
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
(In the Brick Paver Lot)

We will be hosting a 43rd Ward Shredding and Recycling Event at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum during Earth Month with many of our elected officials.

This event will feature:
  • Paper Shredding
  • Electronic Recycling
  • Tree Sapling Giveaway
  • Prescription Drug Takeback

There is a limit of two bankers' boxes of paper per person. Thank you to R4 services for providing both the shredding and electronic recycling.

Let's do our part to cut down on landfill waste!
Community Events
Easter Egg-Stravaganza at Lincoln Park Zoo
Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
2001 N Clark St
Buy your tickets here.

Lincoln Park Zoo's Easter Egg-Stravaganza is back. Hop on by the Lincoln Park Zoo for a morning of springtime fun.

Celebrate spring at the zoo with a basket full of fun family activities! Highlights from this favorite returning event include:
  • Multiple egg hunts for different age groups
  • Photos with the Easter bunny and other spring characters
  • Free rides on the AT&T Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure
  • Outdoor activities and games
  • Music to get you hopping

Each ticket includes one $5 ZooBucks voucher. These ZooBucks vouchers will be accepted at Park Place Café during the Easter Egg-Stravaganza event.
Carnival Grocery Easter Egg Hunt
Sunday, April 17th, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
458 W Dickens Ave

Carnival Grocery will be hosting their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 17th, 2022 at 10 a.m. This event will be hosted at 458 W Dickens in front of their store.

There will cookie decorating, coloring, snacks, and hot chocolate. The hunt will officially begin at 11:30 a.m. but show up early for a host of activities for kids.

Thanks for being such a great neighbor!
North Pond Restoration Community Meeting
Lincoln Park Conservancy
Wednesday, April 20th, 2022
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Register here.

After three years of hard work, grassroots fundraising, and due diligence, the Lincoln Park Conservancy is poised to start work.

You can expect to see fences installed and the site prepped in April for the pond grading and dredging that will begin by early May.

While the activity may differ from what you're used to seeing in the Park, please know that the goal is to have minimal disruption to the humans and wildlife around the Pond.

The Lincoln Park Conservancy, Chicago Park District, and the contractor will hold a community meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, April 20 from 6-7 pm.

Register for the meeting here. If you'd like to learn more now, you can view a project timeline, explore digital resources including FAQ and find the latest news on North Pond's restoration at their website.
Gold Coast Neighbors Association Earth Day Clean-Up
Saturday, April 23rd, 2022
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
North Avenue and Dearborn Parkway
Register here.

Sign up to join the Gold Coast Neighbors Association Team and be a part of Earth Day 2022 on Saturday, April 23. Join other members of our Gold Coast community by helping to clean up one of Chicago's most popular parks, Lincoln Park. Unfortunately, the beauty of the park that draws visitors from all over the world can be marred by trash. Team GCNA will be restoring that beauty by picking up trash and cleaning up the recreation areas. Our local effort is sponsored by the Friends of the Parks, in partnership with the Chicago Park District and the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Friends of the Parks will supply the gloves and plastic bags that will be used. Team members do not need to bring any supplies. However, it is recommended that team members bring their own water in recyclable bottles.

For general questions, please email info@goldcoastneighbors.org or call 773.510.7327.
Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce's Lincoln Park Uncorked!
An Armitage - Halsted Wine Stroll
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The return of spring brings Lincoln Park Uncorked: An Armitage - Halsted Wine Stroll!

Enjoy curated samples of red and white wines while strolling through one of the city’s most famous shopping districts in the heart of Lincoln Park. Early Bird Discounted Tickets are available through April 10. The Early Bird tickets are only $34 and regular priced tickets are $44.

Buy your ticket here.
Support Local Restaurants
Support Local Businesses
Happy Easter and Passover to all those who celebrate,
43rd Ward Office Hours: M - F 9 AM - 5 PM
 2523 N Halsted | 773-348-9500 yourvoice@ward43.org www.ward43.org