Edgewater 2020:About
From Edgewater 2020
ABOUT EDGEWATER 2020
The Edgewater Community Council (ECC)* set forth a 5 year strategic plan [later expanded by the Environmental Plan Committee to be envisioned as a series of 5 year objectives out to the year 2020]which was developed in 2008 and adopted in 2009. Its Mission Statement affirmed that "the ECC is an organization formed to improve the quality of life in the diverse Edgewater Community".
Among the Objectives of that Strategic Plan, the Edgewater Beautiful committee of ECC was charged with planning and implementing the following: [Items in brackets denote a later expansion of the objectives by the Edgewater Environmental Plan committee.]:
GOAL: Turn Edgewater into a model green community for Chicago
- Objective 1: Identify [and encourage] all current community efforts for beautification, greening and environmentally friendly development plans.
- Objective 2: Encourage Recycling and reduction of waste by utilizing the blue cart block participants as a model program for recycling efforts to encourage community wide recycling participation which bring recycling efforts in model blocks to a level of 40% of total waste. [Additional "recycling, re-use and reduce" planning to be explored]
- Objective 3: Identify and encourage green practices in development, business and the private sector including efforts to conserve energy and promote efforts at sustaining natural resources.
- Objective 4: Promote the use of alternative energy [as well as improving energy efficiency, alternative transportation, planting of trees & other proven methods] to reduce carbon emissions and urban heat.
(*Note: The Edgewater Community Council located at 6044 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and voluntary membership organization formed in 1960 to improve the quality of life in the diverse Edgewater community. The Edgewater community is located between Foster Avenue (5200N) and Devon Avenue (6400N), and between Lake Michigan and Ravenswood Avenue (1800W).)
Edgewater Environmental Planning - Envisioned as a series of Five Year Strategies through 2020
The Edgewater Environmental Planning Committee was organized in mid-2008, and included a diverse group which represented residents, block clubs, businesses, community organizations and public officials. They first defined the Plan's own Mission Statement, as well as the Purpose and Scope of the Planning Process (see Main Page). The input and cooperation of residents throughout the process was recognized as being of prime importance. They also adopted the Chicago Action Climate Plan (CACP)and LEED ND as guiding documents for reaching environmentally beneficial goals within Edgewater.
In this website, which is a working document, each organized team of Edgewater Environmental Plan volunteers have focused on Key Environmental Issues, and formally outlined within each, the:
- Definition of the Topic Being Covered,
- Baseline Surveys (where possible) of the Current (2008) Status of Enviromental Situation for that Topic area. (note - research on certain topics regarding Edgewater resident's & business' attitudes, and/or participation in steps positive to the environment, was provided by Loyola's undergraduate Urban Sustainability Classes in 2008-09)
- Specific Plans and Goals to be set, in order to reach the criteria under the CACP or for LEED ND certification,
- Implementation Strategies to be developed,
- Actions to be taken - including specifics on support & assistance that would be needed (legislative, community, etc.).
The Committee recognized that environmental planning needed to be a collaborative effort with all of Edgewater involved(residents, block clubs, associations, business, faith groups, schools, and public officials). Success of the plan would also likely need and should include, input and support from individuals and groups outside Edgewater. Regular presentations to, and meetings with, Block Clubs, Senior Groups, Loyola students and professors, various school representatives, public officials, as well as general community meetings were considered as essential to the planning and were scheduled. Awareness of environmental issues, their impact on Edgewater and what each resident could do to make a difference was included as a goal for the team that organized publicity and education regarding the plan to the community.
