BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Section 1. Pursuant to an ordinance passed by the City Council of the City of Chicago on the third day of December 1984, printed on page 11460, of the Journal of Proceedings of said date, which authorizes the erection of honorary street-name signs, the Commissioner of Transportation shall take the necessary action for the standardization of Chicago Avenue, at Wolcott Avenue, southeast corner, as John J. Horodecki Way.
Section 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after passage and publication.
Proco Joe Moreno Alderman, 1st Ward
John ). Horodecki Biography
John J. Horodecki lived his entire life in the Ukrainian Village Community of Chicago. John and generations of his family lived at 2032 W. Chicago Avenue. He never left the neighborhood having only moved twice in his life to 836 N. Campbell and when he got married to his wife Nancy to 2122 West Superior St. John dedicated his life to politics and public service having been part of the old 1st and 26th, Regular Democratic Ward Organizations and working for the City of Chicago, State of Illinois and Cook County Government. Most of his career was spent working for the City of Chicago as a Deputy in the Mayors' Office of Inquiry and Information and the Assistant to the Commissioner in the Department of Streets and Sanitation under Richard M. Daley.
Throughout his life John was actively involved in serving his community both politically and humanitarily. He started off as a precinct captain at age 17 for the old 26th Ward Regular Democratic Organization. As part of his political work John always made sure that his community was represented and recognized by ensuring that it had a political voice in the world of Chicago and Cook County politics and had city services equal to those received in largest communities within Chicago. John served under all four Chicago Mayors Jane Byrne, Harold Washington, Eugene Sawyer and Richard M. Daley. John made sure that all four Mayors knew his community by inviting all four to one of the biggest Holy days of the year, Ukrainian Easter that draws thousands of Ukrainians from all neighborhoods throughout Chicago and its' suburbs. All four Mayors participated in the event throughout their Mayoral terms.
Prior to 1983 there was no Ukrainian Village. However, under Jayne Byrne in 1983 John was instrumental in having her create by City Council Ordinance Ukrainian Village by assigning official street boundaries to the neighborhood. In 1991 John was appointed to the Advisory Commission on Immigration and Refugee Affairs by Mayor Richard M. Daley. The purpose of the appointment was for John to give input from the Ukrainian Community directly to the Mayor's Office and to interact with local government officials on the needs of newly arrived immigrants. That year at the invitation of the Mayor of Lviv he traveled to Ukraine in his new capacity as advisor and brought then Alderman now Congressman Luis V. Guiterrez with him. Both addressed the Lviv City Council and took part in an all night vigil attended by thousand of Ukrainians.
John was the contact person in the Ukrainian Community for all community, immigration, government and political issues. Often called the Mayor of Ukrainian Village, John made every effort to assist existing residents, new Ukrainian immigrants, businesses and organizations with various issues. Many politicians and dignitaries sought John's support, assistance and advice throughout his career because of his political savvy and knowledge about Chicago's History, its' neighborhoods and politics. A true leader in his community he managed many political campaigns He worked behind the scenes, believed in old school politics
and loyalty making sure that the candidate or person he was supporting received all the recognition for success as a result of his work. Once John made a commitment to support someone's candidacy or help a person he followed through 100%. John's word was his word. When John asked the community to support a candidate no questions were asked. Whoever John supported the community supported. He was involved with Luis Gutierrez's political organization among others throughout his life.
He had many politicians and religious dignitaries visit the Ukrainian Village and the Ukrainian American Club including but not limited to Senator Dick Durbin, Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, Alderman Billy Ocasio, Senator Walter Dudycz, Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, then State Senator Miguelle DeValle, Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey, Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado, Cook County President John Stroger, Alderman Terry Gabinski, Sheriff Mike Sheahan, Sheriff Tom Dart, Governors, State Representatives and the Metropolit and Religious Leaders from Ukraine just to name a few. His lifetime accomplishments include but are not limited to being the founder and Chairman of the Ukrainian Village Democratic Organization, Coordinating the Sister Cities Program with Chicago and Ukraine under Richard M. Daley, President of the Ukrainian National Association Branch 379, President of The Ukrainian American Club of Chicago. In 1987 because of John's efforts in conjunction with Mayor Jane Byrne, he had the Ukrainian Cultural Center built which is part of St Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Parish on Chicago and Oakley Avenues. A groundbreaking ceremony occurred in July 1987 with many religious and polictal dignitaries in attendance.
Many of John's other accomplishments for the community are the following:
having Mayor Eugene Sawyer through a resolution to Commemorate June 1988 as
Ukrainian Millenium Month , having Alderman Billy Ocasio enact a Resolution
through the City Council proclaiming Aug 24th, 1993 to be Ukrainian Independence
Day in Chicago, which John developed into a yearly celebration attraction thousands
of Ukrainians. A congressional Record Tribute to the Ukrainian American Club from
Hon Luis V. Gutierrez October 14, 1993 commending John's commitment as
President to serving Ukrainian Americans, Certificates of continued appreciation
from the Ukrainian American Veterans Post 32 Chicago for his outstanding support
of the organization, Awards of Excellence from Maria Pappas Cook Treasurer to John
as President of the Ukrainian American Club for outstanding dedication and lasting
contirubutions to the Ukrainian Community. John's legacy will continue
throughout the community he loved and will never be forgotten.