← Back to newsletters
Sign in Sign up for alerts

11th Ward Newsletter - June 14, 2026

Nicole Lee Ward 11 📞 773-254-6677 ✉️ ward11@cityofchicago.org
Relevance: 6/10
bike_lanes street_redesign street_safety_or_traffic_calming transit_funding city_budget tax_policy zoning_or_development_meeting_or_approval

Summary

Alderman Nicole T. Lee (11th Ward) reported on upcoming City Council and committee business, including the June 15 Committee on Finance meeting on replacing ShotSpotter, plus plans with CDOT for Complete Streets next phase on 35th Street (Halsted to Ashland) and an update/traffic safety work along the Halsted corridor. She also said she signed a letter opposing a plan to sell Chicago parking meters and is voting “no,” and noted June 22 and June 29 community zoning meetings for 345 W 25th Place and 3439 S. Morgan. Other updates included recovery from severe weather (tree debris and power/streetlight impacts), a memorial for Riley O’Neil, and ward events like Motoblot (Halsted 35th–37th), a Dragon Boat Race for Literacy, and a parish carnival (June 18–21).

Email from Alderman Nicole T. Lee

3659 S. Halsted | Chicago, IL 60609 | 773.254.6677


View as Webpage
 

June 14, 2026




Dear neighbors, 


We had two back to back days of severe weather that hit every corner of the 11th Ward. We saw so many downed trees, people without power, street lights out and standing water at the end of this past week, with nearly 700 service calls coming through 311 and the ward. The Department of Forestry and Streets and Sanitation were able to clear all of the trees that were blocking streets by Saturday and are continuing to collect tree debris over the next week. Big thanks to all of the City workers who helped clear streets. We are grateful for your support in getting us through this emergency!


If you have tree debris on your block that hasn’t been cleared, please call or email us at the 11th Ward at 773.254.6677 or ward11@cityofchicago.org. 


As we continue to mourn the loss of 11th Ward resident Riley O’Neil, it’s been very moving to hear more stories about how deep his love for bike infrastructure and urban planning was rooted and what a loved person he is. I know many, including me, are committed to fighting for safer streets in his memory. We all feel the big hole he left behind. Details for his memorial service can be found here.  


I’ve also asked the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) for an update on the traffic study I requested for Halsted-Canal and Pershing to 29th St. Additionally, I’ll be meeting with CDOT to discuss the next phase of the Complete Streets program for the 11th Ward – 35th Street from Halsted to Ashland. As previously mentioned, I’ll be engaging the community in this conversation as plans are being developed and before anything is finalized. I also requested the 9th District conduct traffic safety missions along the Halsted corridor to enforce traffic laws. 


Happy Flag Day, today. We had a moving Flag Day ceremony on Friday honorably retiring thousands of United States flags. I was joined by the Canaryville Veterans Association, Commissioner Daley, retired 11th Ward Ald. Jim Balcer and Ald. Raymond Lopez. Thank you to CFD, 9th District and all the other supporters and participants for helping us respect our flags. 


This upcoming Friday is Juneteenth, our office will be closed as will all city offices.


I’m happy to see Pride Month celebrated at Sox Park this month with some new swag.

 

Lots of diverse events this week and weekend: 

  • Last weekend, I celebrated our Italian-American friends and neighbors at the St. Angelo Muxaro club block party. 
  • Vintage Fest, which took over Morgan Street over last weekend, was a hit! 
  • With the Chicago Department of Public Health, I co-hosted the 11th Ward Food Safety Workshop on Wednesday, which aimed to educate business owners, restaurant operations, managers, and staff about food safety practices and being compliant with the City’s licensing processes. 
  • Welcome to the 11th Ward Voight’s Bus Service at 4400 S. Racine. They celebrated their grand opening on Thursday. See them for your bus chartering needs. 
  • And last but not least, CONGRATS to our Chicago White Sox for winning the series against the Dodgers this weekend! It was a sold out series and great to see so many fans out and about in the ward.



Have a good week,



Alderwoman Nicole Lee

This Week in City Council

I signed on to a letter last week pledging to oppose a new plan to sell the city’s parking meters out of concerns around a lack of information and transparency from the Johnson administration. It’s my job to be a responsible steward of your tax dollars, and I can’t do that if the Mayor’s Office is playing games with critical information about this deal. So as of now, I’m a “no.”

Upcoming in City Council

Committee Meetings 

  • June 17: Full City Council meeting 
  • June 15: Committee on Finance. This is the rescheduled meeting to discuss replacing ShotSpotter. 
  • June 16: Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development 
  • June 25: Committee on Finance 
  • June 30: Committee on Police and Fire 


Next week, the City Council is set to confirm Kenneth Gunn as the new head of Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations. While I was appalled by the Johnson administration’s treatment of the former Commissioner, Nancy Andrade, which led to her resignation, Mr. Gunn is a long time member of the Commission’s staff and has been a good leader. I will vote in support of his confirmation for this important office.

Events in the Ward

Coming up:

  • June 18-21: St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta Parish Carnival at St. Barbara Church Grounds. Throop Street will be closed from Archer Ave to Lyman. 
  • June 19-21: Motoblot is coming to Bridgeport. Halsted from 35th St to 37th St will be closed to car traffic for this three day event. Learn more here.
  • June 20: Dragon Boat Race for Literacy. Ping Tom Memorial Park. Find out more information here.
  • June 22: Community zoning meeting for 345 W 25th Place. See flyer below for more information.  
  • June 28: Chinatown Community Picnic at Ping Tom Park 10am-2pm. Free event for all, bring your kids and families for a fun day in the park with your neighbors.
  • June 29: Community zoning meeting for 3439 S. Morgan. See flyer below for more information. 
  • Not yet rescheduled for weather: GOAT Movie at Bosley Park and Meet the Superintendent for the Park event. Stay tuned for those dates!

Public Safety

There was an ATM robbery in Chinatown that involved a white SUV crashing into a gas station in the 2400 block of S. Archer. While no one was hurt, the robbers were able to take the ATM and flee. On the same evening, ATM thefts also took place in two other wards, but CPD does not think the events are related. Please let CPD know if you have any information that might lead to an arrest. 

Ongoing Construction &

Street Closures

Ongoing Project - Water Main, Sewer Main & Lead Service Line Replacement Project - Pershing Road:


Schedule: 6/8/2026 - 6/12/2026 (Weather Permitting)

Miscellaneous work including old hydrants removal, trench maintanace and restoration this week.

One lane open in each direction (east and west) during construction hours from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. One lane of the westbound roadway between S Stewart Ave and S Wentworth Ave will be closed for restoration work.



  • North side of Pershing from Lowe to Canal - Phase fully completed on 6/1/2026


  • North side of Pershing from Stewart to Wentworth - Pipe installation completed. Testing and disinfection completed. LSLR / service transfer completed. Phase fully completed on 6/5/26.



  • Water Service Transfers / LSLR - Phase 1b (Parnell to Canal) – Completed

Phase 2 (Wentworth to Stewart) – Completed.


  • Water Shutdowns - No WM shutdown, WM installation has been completed


  • Pipe Installation - Stewart to Wentworth is completed.


  • Final Connections and Concrete Cap - Ongoing between Lowe and Canal (90% complete)


  • No Parking Signs (Lowe Ave, South of Pershing) - “No Parking” signs have been posted as the contractor staged materials and equipment on the west side of the street south of Lowe.


The ComEd Project






Most Recent Updates - 6/5/2026


A ComEd notification was issued for work beginning May 25, identifying the full design area (31st street to 39th street between Lituanica to Normal Street) as potentially impacted. The project has been segmented into smaller work areas to enable more precise notifications. Scheduled work updates will be provided weekly. Below is the Pershing project work planned for the upcoming four-week period.



  • Weeks 1 & 2 WEEK (6/8/26 – 6/19/26)

We will be working between 33rd Pl & 33rd St and Lituanica Ave & Halsted St. We are reframing two existing poles and replacing four existing poles. We are installing 270’ of new Overhead wire.

  • Week 3 (6/22/26 to 6/26/26)

We will be working on 34th St between Lituanica Ave & Halsted St. We are replacing four existing poles and reframing two poles. We are replacing two existing overhead transformers.

  • Week 4 (6/29/26 to 7/3/26)

We will be working between 33rd Pl & 33rd St and Lituanica Ave & Halsted St. We are replacing two existing overhead transformers and adding wildlife protection.  

Peoples Gas South Station Remediation

Most Recent Updates - 6/5/2026


  • Peoples Gas contractors continue environmental cleanup activities at 2730 S. Eleanor Street.
  • The primary activities at the site in June will be excavating and hauling away soil, followed by backfilling excavations with clean stone. Trucks will continue to visit the site throughout the day to pick up soil and deliver stone. 
  • 24-hour air monitoring is taking place and will continue during all intrusive activity.
  • As a reminder, if you have questions about this project, please contact the Peoples Gas project number at 877-380-0522.

Photos of the Week 

11th Ward Food Safety Workshop

held at Chinatown Library on June 10, 2026
A community meeting or presentation takes place in a modern conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows, white curtains, and a large projection screen. Two presenters stand at the front of the room addressing approximately a dozen attendees seated in rows of chairs. Participants of various ages are listening attentively, some taking notes or looking toward the speakers. Additional facilitators are seated at tables on either side of the room. The space features exposed industrial-style ceilings, red carpet flooring, and abundant natural light streaming through the windows. A presentation slide is displayed on the screen behind the speakers.

Many thanks to the city workers, ComEd, and neighbors who have helped in the recovery across the ward.
A large tree has fallen across a residential sidewalk after breaking near its base, leaving splintered wood and exposed roots visible in the foreground. Two people stand nearby inspecting the damage, including one person wearing a high-visibility safety vest. The scene is located at a neighborhood street corner, with a street sign visible on a utility pole, homes and parked vehicles in the background, and mature trees lining the street. The fallen tree completely blocks the sidewalk, illustrating the extent of the storm or impact damage.
A person wearing a high-visibility safety vest stands on a residential sidewalk speaking with two older residents outside a brick apartment building. One resident points to a clipboard while the person in the safety vest takes notes or reviews information on a smartphone. The other resident stands nearby listening. The interaction appears to be part of a neighborhood outreach effort, community assessment, or response to a local issue. The scene takes place on a tree-lined residential street with multi-unit brick homes in the background.
Ald. Lee pictured wearing a high-visibility safety vest stands beside a large fallen tree branch that is blocking a residential street. The branch, covered in green leaves, stretches across much of the roadway in front of brick homes with small front yards and black metal fences. The individual appears to be assessing the damage, likely following a storm. The scene highlights the impact of fallen debris on neighborhood streets and pedestrian access.

Flag Day Ceremony

took place at Northeast corner of 41st Street and Halsted on June 12th 2026

Announcements & Information 
Flyer from Alderman Nicole Lee (11th Ward, City of Chicago) titled “11th Ward 2026 White Sox Residential Zone Parking Updates,” featuring a background image of a night baseball game at Guaranteed Rate Field. The flyer is divided into two sections: Traffic Updates: “This season, 35th Street will be closed between Wentworth and Normal in both directions 90 minutes prior to the start of a game or event at the ball park and will reopen one hour after the close or when OEMC advises. The street will remain open for emergency vehicles, CTA Buses, IDOT and cyclists. Small map showing 35th Street closure area near the ballpark. “Parking Lots”: Event guests will be directed to access Lots A, B, C and G from Wentworth & 33rd Street. Lots F and L will be accessible from Pershing Road. Accessing residential streets: We recommend using 31st Street to access all North South Streets between Wentworth and Wallace. From the South, we recommend Pershing from Wallace to Halsted Reminders: If you live within the White Sox Park Residential Parking Zone and have a vehicle registered with the city of Chicago at that address, a packet with a decal and supply of season and single game guest passes was mailed to you in the last week. If you do not receive your packet in the mail, you may come to the 11th Ward Office beginning Monday, March 23rd to pick up decals and passes. Vehicles parked in White Sox Residential Zone Parking during events at the ball park must display a decal or valid guest pass. Decals are only valid on vehicles that also display a valid City of Chicago vehicle registration sticker. White Sox Park Residential Zone Parking is enforced two hours prior to the start of a game or event and one hour after. For areas where there is a city designated Residential Permit Parking and White Sox Residential Parking Zone - vehicles must display both permits or guest passes or be subject to citation. Pay close attention to signs on the street within one block of the perimeter of the ball park for additional restrictions. All signs will be updated to No Parking 4 hours prior and 2 hours after events.
Flyer titled “Residential access to local streets” explaining traffic and access changes for residents near a ballpark. Top section: Asks if the reader lives north of 33rd Street and south of 31st Street between Wentworth Avenue and Normal Avenue. A map highlights streets in this area with colored markings indicating closures and access routes. Text explains: o access Wells St., Princeton Ave., Shields Ave., Stewart Ave., Canal St. and Normal Ave., area residents are advised to come from the north and utilize 31st Street. Two hours prior to the start of an event, 33rd Street from Wentworth Ave. to Canal St. will be converted to a one-way, west bound street for parking access only – this means no residential access to Wells St., Princeton Ave., Shields Ave., Stewart Ave., or Canal St. Northbound from 33rd St. Access to Wells, Princeton, Shields and Stewart will be for residents only at 32nd Street. Once the game is over, 33rd Street from Canal St. to Wentworth Ave. will be converted to a one-way, East bound street to expedite traffic from parking lots. Bottom section: Asks if the reader lives south of the ballpark between 35th Street and Pershing Road, and between Normal Avenue and Wallace Street. A second map shows this area with marked routes and restrictions. Text explains: To access Wallace, Parnell, and normal to/ between 37th and 38th streets, area residents are advised to come from the north and utilize 35th Street at Wallace or from south and utilize Pershing rd. Access to 37th St. and 38th St. will be for residents only at Normal Ave.

A direct and compelling headline
Beat 913 /915

Community Programs and Events

Jobs & Opportunities

Park District Programs

Services
Home Energy Savings Program - For Spanish
For Spanish
For Spanish
For Chinese 中文
For Polish

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link
For Chinese

11th Ward

School and Parish Information

one hope united Affordable Child Care - Spanish and Chinese

Waste Management

11th Ward

2026 Constituent Education Resource Card

The 11th Ward office is happy to announce has a free ‘Constituent Education Resource Card’ available to residents wishing to visit select museums and zoos in the Chicagoland area. Constituents can reserve our Constituent Education Resource Card on a first come first serve basis (more instructions below), to visit any of the following museums in 2026:


  • Adler Planetarium
  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Brookfield Zoo
  • Chicago Botanic Garden
  • Chicago Children’s Museum
  • Chicago History Museum
  • Dusable Museum of African American History
  • The Field Museum
  • Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
  • Lincoln Park Zoo
  • Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Museum of Science and Industry
  • National Museum of Mexican Art
  • National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
  • Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
  • John G. Shedd Aquarium


Only one group of up to four (4) can reserve the pass at a time. The pass must be picked up and brought back to the 11th Ward Office. Constituents need to call for an appointment to come to the office to pick up the pass before visiting the museums. We recommend calling two business days before your scheduled visit.


It is strongly recommended that families utilizing the card contact the museum they plan to visit to learn if pre-registration is required to visit. 

Chicago Public Libraries

9th District Police District Council & Beat Meeting Schedules

The office has extended hours on Monday nights until 7:00 p.m., is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9:00am - 12:00 pm, if it's a holiday weekend, the office will

be open the following Saturday and/or Monday.


Alderwoman Lee will be happy to see residents on Monday nights from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. If you'd like to make an appointment, please call the ward office at 773.254.6677.
 

11th Ward Office| 3659 South Halsted Chicago, IL 60609 | 773-254-6677

 
X  Facebook  

Alderman Nicole T. Lee | 3659 S Halsted Street | Chicago, IL 60609 US
Constant Contact