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Visit/
return to Home. HPKCC
and Programs. More about.
Committees.
About
and Membership homepage. HPKCC
in Urban Renewal Context,
60th Anniversary Kickoff. 2008
Retrospective and 60-year Retrospective.
History
and about
1949: A Community
in Crisis
In
1949, a group of urban pioneers in Hyde Park-Kenwood, facing a radically
changing neighborhood, deteriorating property, and increasing crime,
banded together to reverse the tide of physical and social deterioration.
To do so, the residents formed the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference
(HPKCC). The major focus of the new organization was urban renewal,
stabilization, and neighborhood safety.
As
part of the strategy, the conference formed 20 block clubs in 1950
to help residents in their relationships with each other, diagnose
neighborhood problems and take action, and build a greater sense of
community.
Although
HPKCC concentrated its earliest efforts on upgrading property and
zoning codes, it soon became apparent that the community had other
needs. As a result, the Conference organized committees to improve
the schools, the appearance of the community, the parks and recreation
facilities, and the communities youth services.
Over
the years, the Conference identified more community problems and developed
new and specific programs to work toward solutions:
- Tenant/landlord
relationships
- School
volunteers
- Safety,
rights and justice
- Women's
rights
- Medical
Care
- Air
and water pollution
Once
a problem was identified, and a program established, HPKCC members
took the steps necessary to attack the problem, whether it meant working
with city officials on needed ordinances, organizing a tenant's union,
working to establish good relationships with varying community groups,
developing medical services, or pressuring the city agencies for action.
These
activities were carried out in addition to HPKCC's ongoing programs
in the areas of schools, urban planning, jobs for teens, parks and
beautification.
Down
through the years, the continuing goal of the Conference has been
to meet the needs of an ever changing community.
Today:
A Community Beyond Crisis and undergoing transformation.
Today, the Conference continues working to meet the
community's changing needs for maintaining diversity including economic,
watching over management of change and development, ensuring neighborhood
safety, promoting the welfare of the community, and beautifying the
environment.
Our
efforts in building community in our second half century may be seen
in our wide array of programs.
All participants in the Hyde Park - Kenwood Community are invited
to be part of our program activities and to join
the Conference.
In
Closer Focus: So what, specifically does the Used Book Fair enable,
and in some cases fund?
Jane
Ciacci writes:
Our current financial
report shows that the October 2009 book sale took in $15,614.91, and
our expenses were $6,538.73, so we had a net profit of $9,076.18.
This was somewhat less than we had hoped for (we were looking for
$10K or more) but the weather wasn't in our favor, nor was the economy.
However, the profits of the sale are currently the Conference's major
source of support for its ongoing expenses, such as the office in
the Hyde Park Bank building, and space rental and other expenses for
community events throughout the year. For example, coming up next
week is our Schools Committee's biennial award ceremony for Local
School Council members and volunteers, with speaker Jacqueline Edelberg
(author of How to Walk to School- Blueprint for a Neighborhood School
Renaissance). In April, the Condos and Co-ops Committee expects to
host a forum on condo > issues with Attorney John Bickley, who
has worked with the committee for > several years to provide these
popular forums on topical questions.
In 2009, we hosted the HPKCC Forum "Challenging the Next Decade,"to
kick > off our 60th anniversary year, and added two organizations
as committees > of the Conference, the Friends of Blackstone Library
and the South Side. Preservation Action Fund, which commissioned a
structural engineering assessment of the Harper Theater Buildings,
paid for with grant funding obtained by the Fund.
Our Development, Preservation & Zoning Committee is particularly
active, and collaborates with a number of other community groups,
including the 53rd Street TIF Advisory Council and its committees,
Coalition for Equitable Community Development, Hyde Park Disabilities
Task Force, Hyde Park Historical Society and its Preservation Committee,
Interfaith Open Communities, Older Women's League of Hyde Park and
Illinois, Southside Solidarity Network.
The profits of the 2008 book sale made possible a $2,500 donation
to the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club to help fund transportation for
the Summer Teen program in summer 2009.
As you probably know, you can read more about the various activities
of the Conference and its committees at http://www.hydepark.org/hpkcc/index.htm.
Programs
The
following program descriptions introduce you to the programmatic committees
of the Conference. Click the links to see full reports for each committee's
activities.
Chicago
Academic Games League
Monthly games during the academic year provide an opportunity
for school children to increase their math skills and have fun. Under
management of the University of Chicago Service center. Liaisons Judy
Dupont, Wallace Goode.
Condos
/ Co-ops / Plus
Provides information through lecture/seminars and classes with attorneys,
discussion, and the Conference Reporter, regarding the law, insurance,
and other matters relevant to owners of these dwellings. If you are
interested in participating on this committee or its forums or for
details contact hpkcc@aol.com or
773 288-8343. Interim Chair Jay Ammerman.
Development,
Preservation and Zoning. Committee.
Monitors, engages collaboratively with other organizations, officials
and agencies and holds public forums and surveys on development and
planning issues, community character, and University of Chicago and
other institution and organization policies that affect the neighborhood.
Chairman Gary Ossewaarde at hpkcc@aol.com.
Disabilities
Task Force of Hyde Park.
A collaborative inter organizational task force that works for a physically
and socially friendly community and to see that the rights of persons
of disability and all residents are honored in our community and places
of business. Liaison George Rumsey.
Forums
HPKCC sponsors ongoing community forums on topics of special interest
to the neighborhood. Liaison Gary Ossewaarde at hpkcc@aol.com.
Friends
of Blackstone Library. Chair Brenda
Sawyer. http://friendsofblackstone.wordpress.com.
Join Friends and automatically become a member of the Conference!
Garden
Fair. Committee
page.
Twice a year the Garden Fair sells plants, bulbs, and garden equipment-Friday
and Saturday after Mother's Day and 3rd Saturday in September unless
a religious holiday conflicts. Proceeds benefit the Hyde Park Community
Conference and garden projects in the Hyde Park - Kenwood Community. May
31 2009 the GF celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a gala at Rodfei
Zedek. Contact George Rumsey.
Nichols
Park Advisory Council
An affiliate programmatic committee of the Conference, Nichols Park
Council advises the Chicago Park District on the maintenance,
care, and landscaping of the park. It oversees the wildflower
meadow and more. President Stephanie
Franklin. 773 955-3622.
Parks.
Committee page.
Works cooperatively with local and citywide groups to enhance our
parks maintenance, landscape design, park activities and good planning
as well as improve our environment. Chair Gary
Ossewaarde.
Schools
Follows school issues in the community, works for strong LSCs and
afterschool programs, maintaining an online database on the same,
ensuring our youth develop the skills and assets needed to succeed,
and schools and community engagement. Honors volunteers in schools
with dinners and ceremonies. Chair Nancy
Baum.
Southside
Preservation Action Fund
Formed to work to provide quick funds for a large range of small preservation
action and study needs. Jack
Spicer.
Transit
and Accessibility Task Force.
Transit pages
home.
Works to improve transit [particularly bus transit and the Gold Line
Metra upgrade] and access within and to the community and seeks adequate
parking in the community. Chair
James Withrow.
Hyde
Park Used Book Sale. Puts on the annual, Columbus Weekend
fundraising sale in Hyde Park Shopping Center, sponsor Treasure Island
Foods. Jane Ciacci, Jane Comiskey.
Whistlestop/Safety
Whistlestop promotes street safety and crime prevention through individual
and neighbor whistle alerts. Whistles are available at neighborhood
events and various community venues. Bulk whistle purchases
are possible. All whistles include program information.
If you are interested in participating on this committee or for Whistlestop
details contact hpkcc@aol.com or
773 288-8343. Chair Camille Hamilton-Doyle..
- Collaborations
include Coalition for Equitable Community Development, Disabilities
Task Force, 53rd Street Vision Process, and Seniors Perspectives/Senior
Friendly Hyde Park
And
we thank our hosting provider OnShore Communications.
Continue
with more about the Conference and what we're about in HPKCC
News home, and our past in Urban
Renewal, HPKCC
Urban Ren., and Urban
Renewal/community redevelopment Timeline. |
