Sunday, September 16, 2007

* North of Howard Parks Advisory Council Meeting

I was asked to post this information by 24/7 Howardwatcher Toni because Joe Moore is too busy to do his job the voters elected him to do. Sad, isn't it? Our 49th ward Alderman can say he doesn't want to overwhelm people with information - yet in the first four months of the year, we received dozens of mailers, dozens of knocks on the door, dozens of phone calls, all on behalf of the alderman, all for the alderman.

Personally, this whole mess smells like sour grapes on Joe Moore's part to me. In the end, only the children get hurt in this situation. But that clearly doesn't matter to Joe Moore. All Joe Moore cares about is Joe Moore. So, let me help Toni, Eva and the North of Howard neighbors out.
Monthly Meeting
September 18th, 2007
Gale Academy
1631 W. Jonquil Terrace
7:00 p.m

Gale Park Field House is almost finished! Bring your ideas and suggestions for programs you would like to see at your new fieldhouse.

Arts? Crafts? Sports? Games? Music? Dance? Kids, Adults and Seniors, we want to hear from you!

NEW MEMBERS ARE NEEDED! Park advisory council meetings are open to anyone who is interested in committing to work with the community and the Chicago Park District to improve our three parks. Park Advisory Councils help to advise the Chicago Park District on long and short term plans, programs, activities and events.

BLOGNOTES: In one of the newest Rogers Park blog trends, instead of discussing the subject matter in the original bloggers comments section, other neighbors have decided to blog their thoughts about the subject by starting a entirely new blogpost - on a entirely different blog.

I'm finding this trend makes following the subject material difficult and in some cases gets lost in blogland. Plus, imputing all the other neighbors thoughts and comments about the subject requires checking 30 something neighborhood blog addresses.

It's like holding the same meeting in three or four different rooms. You got two people discussing the matter upstairs and three people discussing the matter downstairs.

By the time they get together, neither knows what the other is talking about.

But what can we do? That's how we choose to communicate in Rogers Park. We're just a bunch of blogging fools. Fifth bloggiest in the country I'm told. Some have even said, that's how the leaders intended it to work, knowing full well readers don't follow all 30 something bloggers in Rogers Park.

But folks, I'll do my best to keep the subjects easy to find. Here's what other neighborhood bloggers had to say.
*****

Khreis said...> "Claiming that he doesn't want to overwhelm folks rings rather hollow since I thought the expectation was that he would put more effort into communicating with his constituents. Either Joe doesn't really get the nuances of communication, or he really isn't interested in supporting community groups that he isn't sponsoring or aren't specifically supporting him. At least that is the impression he is leaving."

Later Khreis said....> "Aldermen, contrary to what they may think, are public servants first and foremost. It's not about self serving behavior to maintain one's position and power, even if they choose that path. Due diligence in performing their duties is to be expected. Actions that exceed due diligence, such as this, come across as so much posturing for effect. Just another reason why I don't trust this guy."
*****

Jocelyn said....> "From what has been reported so far about the meetings of the North of Howard Parks Advisory Council, it sounds like someone is not playing nice.

Jocelyn also said...> "Here would be the perfect opportunity for a certain someone to let bygones be byones and be the gracious winner that becomes an elected official. It's for the good of the community, after all. What is more important? Politics or the needs of the community?
*****

Mr. 'Broken Heart' said...> "Being spiteful to others. Another quality Joe Moore is teaching his children. His girlfriend Barb must be real proud of him for that."

Folks, the NOHPAC meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m., at the Howard Area Community Center. Please join them in shaping our community. We can do it with or without Joe Moore.
Monthly Meeting
September 18th, 2007
Gale Academy
1631 W. Jonquil Terrace
7:00 p.m


Today this post all links back to 24/7 Howardwatcher Toni.

8 comments:

INKJAR said...

PROBABLY TOO BUSY COLLECTING POLITICAL DONATIONS----

Jocelyn said...

So you want us all to come blog on here I see. Well maybe you should come blog on our blogs (kidding :o). If I post my comments on your blog, then no one will read mine. This must show our independant tendencies.

This was why I made the blogroll. I check about 4 blogs a day and then look at others once a week or so.

Unknown said...

The North of Howard park district advisory council leaders deserve tons of credit for the accomplishment that we are finally seeing being constructed on Howard Street. I know that they will continue to work to get the very best resources for our community. I thank them for asking for input on ideas and potential programs, and I look forward to next week's meeting and to supporting their initiative.

It would be a shame if anyone expects, for even a second, that the new Gale Field House should merely operate like one of the park district's standard Monday though Friday, 9am-5pm facilities. It would be a waste to provide nothing more interesting than year-round basketball, and some staffers in charge of game and sports equipment.

The new facility needs to operate every day of the week, as late as makes sense (7 or 8pm?), and offer substantive after-school youth programs plus an array of fun, exciting, and intellectually enriching programs. Also, I hope that in designing programming, we realize the new facility's potential to be a real community gathering spot. Its leadership and the kind of programs it offers, can make it a welcoming place for finding peace and common ground for people of all ages, races, and socio-economic backgrounds in this very emotionally torn northeast area of our Rogers Park community.

At one meeting in 2003, when they were still fighting to get the facility built, I suggested that someone contact the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago to talk about collaboration on funding and program service delivery. In 2004, I worked on the Rogers Park Conservancy's Community Needs Assessment project, which studied our parks and lake front. The report is at http://tinyurl.com/2ynq28

Check out the report's Section VIII on park programs (page 42). It lists scores of ideas that our neighbors came up with on possibilities for park district programming. Art, nature, ecology, and music programs were among the long list of ideas suggested.

Also, a total surprise for us was the emergence of a large number of local residents who said they had SKILLS, TALENT, and TIME to offer: they said they were eager to volunteer to help create, lead, or enrich park district programming in Rogers Park. Most of these potential volunteers had a particular interest in services to meet the developmental needs of youth in our community.

In so many ways this new facility will be a great asset for our community, and I bet we can count on the support of many new folks to help make it happen.

Toni said...

This building is for the neighborhood - kids, teens, adults, and seniors. If people don't attend on the 18th and at least offer ideas then, it's like NOT voting when the election has been promoted for months - don't complain. Unfortunately, in this case, many people won't know there's a meeting for their ideas. That was not our intention...but appears to be someone else's agenda. Someone not on the council as a member anyway.

Another reason to ask for blogger/neighbors help to get the word out on the meeting.

Neighbors shouldn't complain if the park district fills the slots with activities neighbors may not like. The council only advises, it's the park districts field house. But we have an open dialogue with one person at the PD we deal with who will review the results of the meeting charettes.

There Will Not Be Basketball Only in Gale Field House. But, one must come to the meeting to find out and give their input for alternative programming or pick from the menu offering.

No communication from the ward office, will hurt the kids and neighbors a helluva lot more than me. Think Out of The Box man!

Fargo Woman said...

Are there fliers for this meeting? I haven't seen any.

Hillari said...

Speaking of Moore, I was walking east on Howard on Saturday, and was surprised to spot the alderman standing with a group of people near Damen. I have no idea what they were discussing as I passed by, but they were having some kind of meeting.

Toni said...

Fargo Woman, yes there are flyers for this meeting. They were emailed and are to be distributed. If you would like one I will email one to you. Contact me at howardwatchers@aol.com.

The flyer was sent to RPCC, DevCorp, the ward office, and other agencies and individuals in the community.

Toni said...

Boxing Tomboy - The group of people you noticed were the neighbors organized by Karen Hoover to walk the hood. He was invited via email and showed up. Was it around 3pm?

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