Lake Effect News

By LORRAINE SWANSON

Editor

Whenever Edgewater gets edgy, Edgewater residents get going. This summer, residents are taking positive loitering to a whole new level. Instead of glaring at each other across the street, the Edgewater Community Council is trying a cultural exchange, breaking down some of the social barriers between residents.

"Neighborhood Nights on Thorndale" is weekly positive loitering event that takes place every Monday night on the 1100 block of West Thorndale throughout the summer.

Every Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. through the end of August, the ECC is hosting “Neighborhood Nights on Thorndale.” The goal of the weekly event is to bring attention to some of the shuttered storefronts on the 1100 block of West Thorndale, longstanding community businesses like the Thorndale Deli which closed last year, that once served as the eyes and the ears on the now troubled block.

“Thorndale has become problematic,” said Dan Kleinman, the new housing director for the ECC. “It has a CTA el stop where drug dealers like to hang out because of easy access and escape. There are a lot of people where they can easily blend in.”

While Thorndale generally calms down in colder weather, criminal activity escalates when the weather warms up.

Volunteers from the ECC’s public safety committee set up tents on the south side of the 1100 block of West Thorndale, the dividing line between the 20th and 24th Police Districts. Neighborhood residents are invited for outdoor activities like card games, arts and crafts, refreshments and prizes. Local businesses are donating food.

“The whole initiative is to make positive loitering more appealing,” Kleinman said. “We’re proposing activities instead of chasing people away.”

Neighborhood Nights is already showing positive effects. Last week, a group of boys in their mid-teens known by residents to hang out on Thorndale with nothing to do, ventured over to one of the tents and stayed the entire evening playing cards. Names were exchanged, and eveyone walked away feeling like the other wasn’t such a bad egg after all.

But the event is not without some growing pains. While organizers were delighted to see more than a hundred people turn out the second week, a reputed gang member walked over to the tent and started hassling the boys where were back playing cards.

“They told him to take out of here,” said Dana Fritz, an aide to Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward).

While kids toasted marshmallows on an “urban campfire” (a hibachi with charcoal briquettes) and made S’mores, the gangbanger started following and yelling at some acquaintances across the street. The organizers called 911 and several police squad cars and an undercover tact team car swooped in on the guy.

A few minutes later, the gang member was back. He socked a guy’s head as he stood on the sidewalk talking on his cell phone. After disappearing into a liquor store for awhile, he came back out and crossed the street.

This time he addressed some young men standing with their backs to a fence next to the tents.  “I’m coming back with my gun,” he threatened.

“You’re a fool,” one of the volunteer face-painters said.

We watched him head east on Thorndale from Broadway, screaming at passers-by. Fritz called 911 again.

“Are you taking pictures,” Fritz asked.

“I’m lucky I don’t get my ass kicked.”

“You mean it hasn’t been kicked already?”

The boys stopped playing cards and began toasting marshmallows. Volunteers packed up the board games and tents.

“Well,” Fritz said, “we saved Thorndale for another night.”

“Neighborhood Nights on Thorndale” takes place every Monday from 6 to 8 p.m.  through the end of August, on the 1100 block of West Thorndale.  The weekly event is free and all are welcome to join their neighbors for an evening of board games, arts, crafts, refreshments and prizes.