City of West Chicago, Illinois

Where History and Progress Meet

2022 Art Banner Exhibit’s “People’s Choice Award” Winner Announced

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Art Banner Exhibit_Peoples Choice Award

At the recent City Council meeting, Mayor Ruben Pineda announced Sue Krzyzanowski as the winner of the City of West Chicago’s 2022 Art Banner Exhibit’s “People’s Choice Award.”

Krzyzanowski’s winning artwork entitled, “Duck Weather,” was created using soft pastels and was a depiction of a toddler and baby ducks strolling after a spring rain. The theme for artwork submittals in 2022 was Renewal, and in Krzyzanowski’s description, she stated the artwork represented the theme as it presented “the renewal a spring rain brings to the earth reviving after a harsh winter.”

In response to receiving the award, Krzyzanowski provided the following statement, “Although there is only one child in this piece, I have three. (The artwork) represents the purest form of childlike play, splashing in puddles.  The theme was Renewal and I thought this piece was a perfect representation.  Winter is turning to spring, the world is mud-luscious and the toddler child and baby ducks are enjoying splashing in the puddles.  All symbols of new beginnings.”

In 2022, the Annual Art Banner Exhibit’s call for artists resulted in 90 different pieces of art submitted by 43 different artists from 19 different communities. Of those, 25 artists had artwork that was chosen be part of the exhibit by this year’s judge, Jan Kay of SCARCE. Artwork was on display from May through September, and during this time, visitors and residents were able to vote on their favorite artwork display. Of the 291 collected ballots, Krzyzanowski’s was the overwhelming favorite artwork with 103 participants selecting her artwork.

The City’s Art Banner Exhibit has been an annual tradition for 14 years that is organized by the City of West Chicago in coordination with the City’s Cultural Arts Commission. To learn more about the exhibit, or to view this year’s artwork including the People’s Award Winner artwork, please visit westchicago.org/artbannerexhibit. Details for the 2023 exhibit will be announced soon.

The City would like to thank all of the artists who submitted work to be part of this year’s exhibit, including:

  • Barbara Badolato *
  • Thelma Carolina Acevedo *
  • Elizabeth Carroll
  • Gideon Carroll *
  • Christine Cintula *
  • Dianna Demovic-Novello
  • Barbar Dunn *
  • Joyce Foster
  • Anne Frantzen *
  • Uwe Gsedl
  • Judith Horsley *
  • Michael Horsley *
  • Linda Johnson
  • Pam Keller
  • Herb Kelly
  • Sue Krzyzanowski **
  • Kathi Kuchler *
  • Abigail Laughlin
  • James Lauro *
  • Rosemary Mackey *
  • Carson March *
  • Jose Trejo Maya
  • Jeffrey Mendenhall *
  • Michaela Miller
  • Lucy Nelson
  • Sheila Newenham *
  • Elizabeth Novello
  • Jodi Otzwirk
  • Kim Peck
  • Laurie Perkins
  • Barb Plichta
  • Jim Rakow *
  • Cheryl Rausch *
  • Joseph Renda Jr.
  • Barb Risner *
  • Ellen Shwatal
  • Kathy Steere
  • Jay Summer *
  • Cassandra Swierenga *
  • Natalia Toreeva *
  • Bruce Treudt
  • Joe Weibler *
  • Philip Weibler *
  • Bella Wiehle *

(*) Selected as part of 2022 Art Banner Exhibit, (**) 2022 Art Banner Exhibit People’s Choice Award Winner

CMAP Announces Update to 30-year Plan for Region

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The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has announced it’s ‘ON TO 2050’ plan update which was approved by the CMAP Board on October 12, 2022. As part of northeastern Illinois, the City of West Chicago is 1 of 284 communities that CMAP includes within it’s planning efforts.

After more than a year of data collection, analysis, and engaging with partners, stakeholders, and residents, this plan update covers issues like safe and secure roads and transit, climate, and equity between borders.

CMAP is required to update parts of the long-range, 30-year plan every four years, and the new recent data tells an interesting story about the state of the region as it recovers from COVID-19. A few highlights of the region included:

  • The region is the most diversified large metropolitan economy in the U.S.
  • People of color accounted for more than half of the region’s population for the first time in 2020.
  • There has been significant progress to fund the region’s transportation system — and the federal infrastructure law creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our roads, bridges, and rail.

Visit CMAP’s website to learn more about the the update to ON TO 2050.

City Enters Agreement for Park Planning Services for Kerr McGee Site with Upland Design Ltd.

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On Monday, October 3, the City Council approved the contract agreement with Upland Design Ltd. for park planning services for the Kerr-McGee site.

The planning process will take approximately 3-4 months commencing in early October and is anticipated to be completed in January of 2023. The main components of the park planning services include site analysis, needs assessment, various community outreach efforts including multiple public input meetings, development of master plan, phasing plan, and construction cost estimates. Budgeting for the implementation and construction will not occur until 2024 at the earliest. this timeframe will allow the City time to identify revenue and partnership resources.

Upland Design Ltd. is an accomplished firm that has extensive experience in the Chicagoland area with park planning that focuses on community input. The City had budgeted $25,000 for this planning process, and Upland Design Ltd. provided a quote slightly less than the budgeted cost in the amount of $23,200. City staff received two proposals for the project which also included a quote from Hitchcock Design Group in the amount of $36,800.

View the Monday, October 3, 2022 City Council Meeting Agenda Packet.

More Details About the Kerr-McGee Property

City Receives Planning Award for New Comprehensive Plan

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The City of West Chicago's new Comprehensive Plan was recently recognized by the American Planning Association - Illinois Chapter as the winner of the 2022 ‘Daniel Burnham Award’.

This prestigious award honors a comprehensive, or general plan, that advances the science and art of urban planning. The award honors America's most famous urban planner, Daniel Burnham, for his contributions to the planning profession and to a greater awareness of the benefits of good planning.

One specific feature that assisted the City in receiving an initial nomination for the award was that the Plan was created in both English and Spanish within the same overall document, which made it especially unique. In addition, there was extensive direct contact made throughout the planning process with the City’s Spanish-speaking residents.

“We are honored to receive this special recognition,” said Community Development Director Tom Dabareiner. “Our Department was very pleased with the work of our consultants who understood our vision for creating a comprehensive plan that fit our multi-heritage community. We would like to thank our consultants and community partners, as well as the City staff members, who dedicated themselves to creating this new plan which will serve as roadmap for future development in West Chicago.”

The City’s Community Development Department recently completed the design of the new Plan with assistance from the City's consultants, Muse Community + Design and the Antero Group. The Plan will serve as a guide for future development in the City that will provide specific recommendations that reflect the community's character, prospects, and vision for the future years.

To view the West Chicago Comprehensive Plan, visit the City’s website.

Kerr-McGee Cleanup to Conclude: City Prepares for Future Park at Site

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The former Rare Earths Facility (REF) will finally receive its remaining cleanup touch before it is transferred to the City of West Chicago for use as a new city park. The REF extracted thorium from monazite ore from 1932 to 1973. The operations generated significant quantities of waste materials and contamination of the surrounding areas. Significant decommissioning and cleanup work at the REF have been accomplished since the 1980s, with the final train car carrying thorium-contaminated soil departing the City in November 2015. Following a lengthy and comprehensive cleanup endeavor, all remediated areas were verified to comply with residential-use-based soil cleanup standards.

Although all on-site materials meet cleanup standards, residual constituents such as uranium continue to leach from some of the remediated soil into the shallow groundwater aquifer. The resulting contaminated groundwater in the shallow aquifer does not pose an exposure threat to human health and the environment because it is confined to a small geographical area, its constituent concentrations are declining, and the residential population does not use it. The shallow groundwater is not of sufficient quantity or quality as a source for drinking water or other domestic purposes. Furthermore, the existing laws and regulations prevent and control the use of this groundwater for human consumption and other uses. Groundwater in the deep bedrock aquifers, from which the City of West Chicago derives its water supply, is not impacted by the shallow groundwater contamination at the REF.

The residual occurrence of uranium in groundwater is a direct result of former operations at the
REF and all governing entities involved in the remediation require the contaminated groundwater to be remediated to the extent possible. As a result, the remaining groundwater contamination will be addressed using $36 million in federal funds remaining in the West Chicago Environmental Response Trust. The Environmental Analysis for this remediation phase, currently being drafted by IEMA, will be shared with the local stakeholders in advance of implementation.

Weston Solutions, Inc., not individually but solely in its representative capacity as the Trustee of the West Chicago Environmental Response Trust (WCERT), has begun implementing initial site activities for undertaking the final decommissioning of the REF. This final remediation will take three to five years to complete, after which the land associated with the REF will be conveyed to the City of West Chicago.

In preparation for the property transfer, the City of West Chicago has issued a Request for Proposals to landscape design firms to help the City Council create the park that will be built on the old REF site. Once a landscape design firm has been chosen, a procedure for soliciting public comment will be developed to get meaningful community involvement. This community feedback will be used to shape the final park design. In addition, the City will collaborate and partner with the West Chicago Park District on this initiative.