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HIGHLIGHTS THIS ISSUE New School . .3 Property Taxes . .6 Annual Report . .10 To Volunteer . .13 Volume 3, Issue 4 December, 1998 Published by the Rogers Park Community Council (circulation: 30,000) Citizen of the Year Loyola University, Chicago ot so long ago . in a place called Rogers Park . • A research project between Center for Urban Research • Residential Life has sent student volunteers to help N there was a group of community advocates who and Learning (CURL) and the Howard Area Community clean the yards. wanted to create a place that children from all over Center on the effects of Welfare Reform; • The Psychology Department is organizing a donation the land would come to dance and to learn and to grow. • And Loyola support for many Rogers Park organizations drive for program supplies, and This group of advocates sent a proposal to the King of the through staff volunteerism. • Today, more than 150 youth and their families partici- Land . we like to call him Mayor Daley . who looked One of the most recent initiatives is the partnership pate in educational, recreational, and social growth pro- favorably upon their plan and granted them a Youth Net. with Loyola University Chicago and the Rogers Park grams at the Rogers Park Youth Network. Well the advocates were thrilled until they realized that Youth Network. Loyola is lending its building at Sheridan Rogers Park is a unique community; Loyola is a they did not have a magical place to build their special and Albion which was formerly known as the Cheers unique University; and working together is a unique new program. They searched the land and found a small, Café to the Network. The 4,000 square foot building is opportunity . we thank you. On behalf of the partners unused building located on the road they call Sheridan. perfectly situated for the new afterschool youth program. of the Rogers Park Youth Network and particularly the The group went to the new owner of the small building On the ground level is large restaurant area that can children and families we work with, we award Loyola and asked them if they would like to become a partner in seat 120 people, there’s also a dance floor with fully University Chicago the 1998 Citizen of the Year. creating a special place for the children of the land . it equiped DJ booth. Upstairs are four apartments that was kizmet . and so began the Rogers Park Youth have been converted into offices, meeting rooms, and a The award was presented by Robert Winston, vice presi- Network. computer lab. dent of the Rogers Park Community Council. Today, we recognize Loyola University Chicago for its Once the Network was notified of the availability of efforts to make Rogers Park a great place to live, the space, members of the staff met with representatives work and raise a family. While many communities are at from Loyola’s property management department. Plans war with their local educational institutions, Loyola were made to get the building University continues to build a unique partnership with its into a condition that was once surrounding neighborhood. again usable. And in The Rogers Park Youth Network is not Loyola’s first September, we were proud to significant contribution to Rogers Park! About 20 years announce the opening of the ago, Rogers Park was financially struggling – people Rogers Park Youth Network. would not buy or invest in our neighborhood. Loyola initi- Soon other Loyola ated the “Walk to Work Program” to encourage faculty Departments heard about the and staff to buy and live in the Rogers Park / Edgewater new youth initiative and communities. Since that time, Loyola has strategically began to offer help: invested in our neighborhood – even purchasing • The School of Social Work criminally managed properties in order to get rid of bad and the CURL are design- neighbors. ing a model for program Many of us have stories of the partnerships devel- evaluation; oped with Loyola University. Some of the most recent • The Career Center is send- projects include: ing us Federal Work/Study • An annual summer school program for educational and Students; athletic enrichment; • The Athletics Department • Science SMARTeam programs at local elementary has opened the Mundelein schools; gym to our basketball • A new educational initiative between the School of league and is enlisting vol- Education and Sullivan High School; unteer tutors and coaches; Loyola University Chicago is named Citizen of the Year. Pictured are Richard P. • Community planning for Sheridan Road, Loyola and • University Ministry is Moran (RPCC president), Reverend John J. Piderit SJ (Loyola University President), Morse Avenues; recruiting mentors & tutors; and Robert Winston (RPCC vice president). Community Investment Award The Devon Bank 6445 N. Western Avenue n behalf of the Rogers Park Community at Devon Bank. O Development Corporation (RPCDC), it is our great Presented by Keith honor to present Devon Bank with this year’s award Lord, Acting President of the for Outstanding Community Investment. Rogers Park Community Many of you may know, Devon Bank developed the Development Corporation. H.O.M.E. (Home Ownership Made Easy) program to The RPCDC is a subsidiary assist prospective buyers who may not ordinarily qualify of the Rogers Park for conventional loans. The new program implemented in Community Council. For conjunction with the RPCDC home buyer counseling ser- more information on the vice has helped numerous Rogers Park residents achieve HOME call Jim Michalek at “the American dream” of home ownership. The Devon Bank (773-465- The joint program has been extremely successful. 2500) or John Stamm at the By year-end, the bank will have loaned more than $1.2 RPCDC (773-338-7732). Million and in some cases financed up to 97% of proper- ty values. By lending at this high percentage rate, the bank truly becomes a partner with the buyer. In one case, the bank saved a building north of Howard from foreclosure. They did this by helping finance one of the buildings long-term tenants. This allowed him and other tenants to remain in their homes and to replace the existing non-resident owner with an owner-occupant The Devon Bank receives recognition for their Community Investment initiatives and landlord who is committed to the neighborhood. the H.O.M.E. loan program for first-time buyers. Pictured are Terry McAviney , Jim Most importantly, Devon Bank has taken a true lead- Michalek, Richard Loundy (chairman), and Mary Howard of Devon Bank with John ership role in investing and helping others to invest in our community. This award goes out to all of the people Stamm and Keith Lord of the Rogers Park Community Development Corporation. 2 ROGERS PARK 2000 RPCC Joins the World Wide Web How Well Do You By Jim Yeaman Know Rogers Park? he Rogers Park Community Council (RPCC) has as the web site grows and gains in popularity, it will become Where Is This Sculpture Sitting? T joined the World Wide Web with the launch of its own a source of non-dues revenue. RPCC members who wish web site! The site, hosted by RPCC member and to attach their own web page to the RPCC main site will be neighborhood internet service provider Digital Interplay, offered a discounted "siting fee" and RPCC will earn a affords RPCC the opportunity to further communicate its "commission" on all such fees. The Board, in reviewing the mission to an even wider public. In addition to the bene- recommendation from Ms. Steinbuck determined that the fits to RPCC itself, individual members can have their own fee schedule proposed by Digital Interplay was competitive web sites developed and attached to the RPCC main site and would be attractive to the membership. for a nominal annual fee. Marketing of the new web site and its benefits to the The address for the new web site is membership will be handled at no cost to RPCC by Jim http://www.rogerspark.org. The main e-mail address to Yeaman, President of The JOY Group, a Rogers Park reach the staff is [email protected]. As the site based communications and marketing consulting firm. matures and the staff becomes more sophisticated in the Jim, a former member of the RPCC Board of Directors use of the new medium, additional e-mail address may be and a member of the Editorial Committee of RP2000, has established such as one for Rogers Park 2000 (RP2000) an extensive background in the online services industry. Send your correct response by December 31, 1998 to RPCC, and other areas of activity. He will be contacting individual members to set up 1772 W. Lunt Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626. The winner of a Preliminary design of the new web site has been appointments to explain the benefits of working with $25.00 gift certificate to the new Gateway Bar & Grill will be underway for several weeks and it is anticipated that every RPCC's web site. selected by lottery from the correct responses. Good Luck! The aspect of RPCC activity will be featured on the web site. Persons interested in learning more about this new answer will be printed in the next issue of Rogers Park 2000. Special sections of the web site will be devoted to such opportunity to communicate their products and/or ser- activities as Housing Initiatives, Domestic Violence, Youth vices should call Jim at (773) 338-5600 or (773) 338- Last issue's winner was Walid Diab. The Eagle is perched on Net, and RP2000. RPCC. the building at 1556 W. Howard that currently houses the Ace It is anticipated that the RP2000 section will enable Members who already have their own web sites will Hardware.