City of West Chicago, Illinois

Where History and Progress Meet

Make A Payment

City Issues Proclamation Declaring 2022 the “Year of the Alebrijes” in West Chicago

By

Alebrijes ProclamationDuring the City Council meeting on Monday, June 20, Mayor Pineda issued a proclamation declaring 2022 the “Year of the Alebrijes” in West Chicago.

As part of the proclamation, the City expressed its gratitude to all the partners and sponsors who made the ‘Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World’ art exhibit at Cantigny Park possible for the DuPage County region.

The partners who put together the exhibit, included the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage, Cantigny Park, the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the National Museum of Mexican Art; and the event sponsors who helped support the event include the College of DuPage, Republic Bank of West Chicago, and also the City of West Chicago.

As part of the proclamation, the City also extended its gratitude to the six Mexican artists who made everything possible which include Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano; Alejandro Comacho Barrera; Aleberto Moreno Fernandez; Roberto Carlos Martinez Tesillo; Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes; and Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortiz.

Visit westchicago.org/alebrijes to view the proclamation, or to view the upcoming events happening throughout the community.

About the “Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World” Exhibit

The “Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World” art exhibit features 48 large-scale sculptures of alebrijes that will be open through October.  For more information about the exhibit, please visit Cantigny.org/alebrijes.

City Receives Commemorative Artwork from Tlaxcala, Mexico

By

Tlaxcala PlateOn Thursday, June 16, Mayor Pineda met with Jose Luis Sanchez Mastranzo the former Director General of Casa de Artesanías de Tlaxcala Trust (FCAT) along with President of the Mexican Cultural Center-DuPage, Fernando Ramirez, to accept a special commemorative artisan plate presented to the City of West Chicago, Illinois.

The commemorative artwork was created in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, which is known for its numerous handcrafting traditions that date back to the pre-Hispanic period. The ‘Casa de las Artesanías de Tlaxcala Trust (FCAT)’ is the state entity responsible for the promotion and preservation of all Tlaxacan handcrafts.

The City also provided Tlaxcala with commemorative artwork plates in 2021, but the formal exchange of gifts between the City of West Chicago and the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Tlaxcala Reading

The City of West Chicago is greatly honored and extends its gratitude to the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, the Casa de las Artesanías de Tlaxcala Trust, former Director General Jose Luis Sanchez Mastranzo, and the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage for this wonderful gift.

If you wish to view the commemorative plate, it can be seen at Gallery 200 during regular business hours.

City Issues Proclamation Celebrating Leman Middle School Girls Soccer Team

By

Middle School ChampionsDuring the West Chicago City Council meeting on Monday, June 6, 2022, Mayor Pineda presented a special proclamation recognizing the West Chicago Elementary School District 33 Leman Middle School Girls Soccer Team for their recent undefeated season and for winning the 2022 Illinois Prairie Athletic Conference (IPAC) Championship.

The team is the first female athletic team in any sport to win an IPAC Conference Championship in Leman Middle School and City of West Chicago history. And, as part of the proclamation, Mayor Pineda pronounced Monday, June 6, 2022 as “Leman Middle School Girls Soccer Team Championship Day” in West Chicago to commemorate the great achievement.

Read the full proclamation here.

Healthy West Chicago Sponsors to Provide Over $100,000 During 3-Year Period

By

On Tuesday, April 5, Healthy West Chicago’s Program Administrator, Carly Smitherman, announced the addition of several new financial supporters of the not-for-profit organization.

Through Healthy West Chicago’s Sponsorship Program, the organization has acquired seven new financial supporters that will provide over $100,000 in additional funding over a 3-year period to help support the Healthy West Chicago Mission of ensuring West Chicago residents have access to an optimal state of health and wellness.

“This additional support from our local organizations is a solid investment in our community, and greatly strengthens our organization’s Mission of providing optimal state of health and wellness.” said Smitherman. “Our organization is extremely grateful for all our sponsors’ contributions.”

The Healthy West Chicago Sponsorship Program consists of three levels of sponsorship that provide varying financial support over a 3-year period. The following organizations have committed to sponsoring Healthy West Chicago:

  • Platinum Level Sponsorship ($10,000+/per year): Ball Horticultural Company (622 Town Road, West Chicago, IL 60185)
  • Gold Level Sponsorship ($5,000+/per year): OSI Industries LLC (711 Industrial Dr., West Chicago, IL 60185); Amazon (Fulfillment Center Warehouse: 27W501 North Ave., Suite 100, West Chicago, IL 60185); Pritzker Realty Group, LLC (444 W. Lake St., Suite 3500, Chicago, IL 60606): West Chicago Public Library District (118 W. Washington Street, West Chicago, IL 60185); West Chicago Elementary School District 33 (312 E. Forest Ave., West Chicago, IL 60185)
  • Bronze Level Sponsor ($1,000-2,500/ per year): DS Containers (2500 Enterprise Circle, West Chicago, IL 60185)

 

About Healthy West Chicago
Healthy West Chicago is a not-for-profit organization that consists of a collaboration of West Chicago community leaders that have organized to increase nutritional awareness and physical activity in the City of West Chicago through the development of community events and programs, and the production and dissemination of educational resources.

Gallery 200 Hosting Exhibit Featuring Models from Cantigny Park Installation

By

AlebrijeJoin the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage for the opening of Maquetas & Bocetos: Creatures of a Dream World on Friday, April 8 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The multi-dimensional exhibit explores the history and magic behind the unique Mexican art form that is an alebrije. Guests will learn about the process of creating alebrijes, and how artists pull inspiration from different aspects of their own lives and the world around them to design and sculpt these one-of-a-kind creations.

The models and drawings to be featured were created as part of the work the Mexican Cultural Center has been doing in collaboration with Meztli Artist Collective, their partner in Mexico City, to bring 48 Mexican masterpieces to DuPage County. 18 large alebrijes, alebrijes monumentales, and 30 smaller spirit animal sculptures will be on display at Cantigny Park from June 12 to Oct. 31, 2022. For more information and for full Cantigny Park programming see www.cantigny.org.

Maquetas & Bocetos runs from Friday, April 8 through Saturday, August 27 at Gallery 200, 103 W. Washington Street, West Chicago. Free parking is located next to the building and admission is free.