CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BEVERLY AREA PLANNING ASSOCIATION ON THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, The Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA), an organization that seeks to: maintain the beauty, stability, security, and family environment of the Beverly Hills and Morgan, Park community areas, celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this momentous occasion by the;. Honorable Matthew J. O'Shea, Alderman ofthe 19th Ward; and
WHEREAS, BAPA's mission is to sustain and enhance Beverly Hills and Morgan Park as a culturally diverse neighborhood with increasing home values, high quality schools, thriving, commercial areas, and a low crime rate, while preserving small town amenities in a corner of one of the world's biggest cities; and
WHEREAS, Incorporated as a not-for-profit on October 14, 1947 by a group of civic minded men and women, BAPA has been a model for grass roots community organizing for 75 years; and
WHEREAS, In 1971, BAPA was reorganized and a paid, professional staff was hired to oversee, important proactive programs to facilitate. Beverly Hills and Morgan Park's transition into a stable, racially.integrated community; BAPA's staff and volunteers worked against the trend of block-by-blpck resegregation then experienced on the South Side to create the diverse community that exists to this day;| and \
WHEREAS, The; leadership of BAPA comes from all parts of the community and various neighborhood civic organizations to build on the area's strengths, and improve, preserve, and promote the neighborhood's unique resources; and
WHEREAS, BAPA tirelessly supports its. community by showcasing local shopping and retail districts, providing promotional events for neighborhood businesses, working with the 22nd Police District to support proactive work designed to prevent crime and promote community safety, and providing opportunities for networking, resources, and programs focused on strong community-schools; and
WHEREAS, BAPA also creates a strong sense of community in the neighborhood by welcoming., new neighbors, providing and protecting trees and public spaces, protecting vintage housing by.; working with local property owners to preserve the quality of the community's unique and. architecturally significant homes, preserving historic districts and properties, and, most of all, organizing neighbors to put their passion into action, and '
WHEREAS, From its free monthly newspaper, The Villager, which is delivered to 16,000 homes; businesses, and organizations, to its website and active social media accounts, BAPA informs,; supports, and spotlights the Beverly Hills and Morgan Park community not only within the • neighborhood, but also to the rest of the world; and
WHEREAS, In keeping with its mission, BAPA hosts a variety of special events to welcome everyone to experience their outstanding neighborhood, including the Beverly/Morgan Park Home1 Tour, Ridge Run & Memorial Day Parade, Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk, and the Porch Concert Series; and
WHEREAS, For 75 years, BAPA has helped make its motto - "Love Where You Live" - a reality for generations of Chicagoans by creating a "Village in the City"; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members ofthe City Council of the City of Chicagbj gathered here this eighteenth day of January, 2023, do hereby congratulate the Beverly Area Planning Association on their 75th anniversary, thank them for decades of service to the Beverly Hills and Morgan Park community; and
MATTHEW J. O'SHEA Alderman, 19th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Beverly Area Planning Association.
