UPTOWN — About 50 residents, business owners and community partners piled into Courtenay Language Arts Center Wednesday night to discuss the re-formation of an umbrella organization that previously represented many of the neighborhoods' block clubs.
Over the last couple years, Sheridan Park Neighbors has fallen by the wayside, but it originally served as an umbrella organization for four block clubs: Dover Street Neighbors Association, Beacon Block Club, Graceland-Wilson Neighbors Association and Magnolia Malden Block Club.
"I’ve lived here over eight years and when I started doing my research [about the community], I didn’t realize how much was going on that was really positive, and I felt like there were a lot of borders among us, but I didn’t know why. And I think a lot of it was crime," said Robyn Becker, a member of the Magnolia-Malden Block Club, who helped organize the informational meeting.
"People wouldn’t go south of Wilson or north of Wilson for crime reasons, but didn’t realize all that was going on in Sunnyside Mall that was positive or at Gooseberry. I wanted to bring everyone together," Becker said.
Representatives from several block clubs, Uptown United and the CTA, along with Ald. James Cappleman (46th) all spoke at the informational meeting at the school, at 4420 N. Beacon St. During the meeting, representatives of the block clubs said that the success of block clubs was dependent on getting "more people to get involved."
Ald. James Cappleman (46th) moved into the area in 1999 because of the "community" and Sheridan Park Neighbors was one of the first community organizations he came into contact with. Recently, he's used the block clubs for community input on things from zoning changes to residential permit parking.
"There’s been a couple of times when the zoning and development committee has made decisions about zoning in this area including ... a very controversial piece of property at 4642 North Magnolia — a home that was torn down," he recounted.
At the time, one neighbor suggested that the decision would impact a larger area than just the block club, Cappleman said, which led him to understand why some decisions "should really go before the entire area so they can have some input."
Recently, Cappleman has seen the adverse effects of low turnout in the community groups. Earlier this month, he was forced to reconsider a zoning change for a 931-933 W. Belle Plaine Ave. after the Buena Park Neighborhood Association approved them in June.
Neighborhood groups also approved similar zoning changes for transit-oriented development buildings over the last few months, but the most affected residents weren't aware of the meeting in June, Scott Kruger, a property owner on the block, said at the time.
"Another meeting will be scheduled to provide residents in the area more information about this proposal," Cappleman said in an email after the meeting. To be notified of specific dates and times of the meeting you must email james@james46.org.
While at the meeting Wednesday, Cappleman stressed the importance of hearing from residents, which he often does through neighborhood organizations, about whether the umbrella group should re-form. Meanwhile, he's "going to stay neutral" on the decision.
“I’m going to encourage you to look at the positive repercussions, and there are many. And also really brainstorm what are the negative repercussions. And then I will work with all of you to come with a plan of how you make that decision," he said.
At the end of the meeting, the group voted to hold a second meeting to determine if they should reestablish the group with more information coming in the future, Becker said.
Todd Dildine has lived in the neighborhood for just over a year, but said he was definitely on board with the re-formation after hearing the pitches.
"It was nice to hear people rising up and saying, 'I want to help facilitate and cultivate more community interaction within our neighborhood,'" Dildine said, adding the umbrella organization would serve as complementary vehicles. "In Sheridan Park, the blocks kind of bleed on over into each other. [Sheridan Park Neighbors is] not trying to over power the block clubs, but just trying to support the block clubs."
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