The View from 101 York – September, 2014

LW Reedy has been serving the Elmhurst community and surrounding areas since 1951. As the largest locally-owned real estate agency in Elmhurst, we have a passion for local news and events. Here’s our view of the community for this month, from our perch at 101 York in the heart of downtown Elmhurst.

September 5 and 6, 2014

Rock The Block Party at Elmhurst City Centre

Starting at 4 pm on the 5th, there will be food and drink booths with live music all over town, and performances by The Personnel and 7th Heaven in the square. The party continues on Saturday at 12 pm with live music and activities for the kids at the Community Partner area. Music events include music from the School of Rock, Best of York High School Rock, Kevin Presbrey Band, the Super Crush and ARRA. There will be fun all the way around the block in Elmhurst.

September 7, 2014

Cornfest Family Fun Day at Old Graue Mill

Spend your Sunday at this family picnic with hot dogs, hamburgers, roasted corn on the cob, homemade pies and taffy apples. Starting at 11:30 am, entertainment including games, races and a fishing tournament for kids will make the day extra special. There is no general admission fee and tickets will be sold for food, drinks and activities.

September 9, 2014

Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition

John Rogers, a senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and co-author of “Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low Carbon Living” will lead a discussion about effective ways to cut your global warming emissions by 20 percent or more. The event begins at 7:00 pm at the Elmhurst Public Library. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (630) 462-9789 or emailing ecocities@gmail.com.

September 6 and 7, 2014

The Tinley Park Home Improvement Expo

Take a road trip to the Tinley Park Convention Center for this free Fall Expo featuring everything you need to spruce up your home for the holidays. See hundreds of contractors displaying the most popular interior and exterior decorating and remodeling projects. Times are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday and until 5:00 on Sunday.

September 11-21, 2014

World Music Festival Chicago

This is a multi-venue festival that has something for everyone. Open your mind to exotic music or expose your kids to some musical cultural diversity. Choose from over 650 artists and ensembles from over 80 countries. It’s your opportunity to expand your musical horizons for free.

September 27, 2014

Churchville Schoolhouse Open House

Visit the Churchville Schoolhouse in Bensenville from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and celebrate back-to-school with the Elmhurst Historical Museum. Visit the Schoolhouse, built circa 1846, and enjoy the Conrad Fischer Singers as they perform numbers from a bygone era. Folk singer Bucky Halker will share classic Illinois folk songs. Old fashioned games, vintage crafts, and a story time will delight the young and young at heart. Lemonade and light refreshments will be provided.

September 28, 2014

Amazing Walk for Cancer

The Amazing Walk will start and end at the Center for Cancer Care at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital on Brush Hill Road. The route will go north on York Road, cross on Cayuga to York Commons and then return south on York Road, cross to the west on Quincy, south on York Road and finish at the Center for Cancer Care. Registration is required.

Award-winning Design Makes Life A Pleasure in Elmhurst’s Parkside Neighborhood

The area stretching south from Madison to Butterfield and west from Spring Road to Salt Creek is known as the Elmhurst Parkside subdivision.

Developed by Oliver Builders in the late 1950s, this development includes one of the largest parks in Elmhurst, Eldridge Park. Built on a landfill, the park district has added Eldridge Lagoon, an outdoor ice skating rink and a lighted sled hill. In addition, there is a soccer field, a baseball diamond, tennis courts, basketball courts, a roller hockey court, a butterfly garden and Eldridge Park Recreation Building. An ADA-accessible canoe launch is also included for those who want adventure on the water.

The brand new homes of the Elmhurst Parkside development included custom decorated interiors, finished landscaping, forced-air heating systems, inlaid linoleum floors, birch kitchen cabinets with mahogany doors and the finest oak floors. “No extras – ever! Everything you want in a home is included,” was the advertising pitch.

Schools in the area included an elementary school, parochial grammar and high schools, a new jr. high school within walking distance, the famous York Community High School and Elmhurst College. Also touted were Elmhurst’s near-by business districts, a new Elmhurst shopping plaza and a short five-minute drive to Hillside Shopping Center and Oakbrook Shopping Center, which was nearing completion.

The homes in the Elmhurst Parkside neighborhood averaged 1228 square feet of “superbly gracious living” with three bedrooms, one and a half baths, a full basement, a separate dining area in the kitchen, as well as, a formal dining room. Advertisements described this development as “a fashionable, smart suburban community of better homes.” They cost between $24,500 and $26,800, depending upon the floor plan chosen.

977 Hillside

The houses in this area currently range from very affordable to the larger house pictured on Hillside Avenue. If you are interested in looking at homes in the Parkside development or in any of Elmhurst’s unique neighborhoods, call a knowledgeable realtor at LW Reedy.

Residents of the Elmhurst Parkside neighborhood are in the award winning Elmhurst School District 205 and would attend Jackson Grade School, Bryan Middle School and York High School. Click here for more information on those schools, links to school reports and more.

We gratefully acknowledge all of the time and assistance Nancy Wilson at the Elmhurst Historical Museum provides in researching these blogs. She continues to be an invaluable resource for this series.

The View From 101 York

LW Reedy has been serving the Elmhurst community and surrounding areas since 1951. As the largest locally-owned real estate agency in Elmhurst, we have a passion for local news and events. Here’s our view of the community for this month, from our perch at 101 York in the heart of downtown Elmhurst.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Dog Days

Head over to Cantigny Park with your dog and enjoy the only day of the year dogs are allowed on the grounds. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, there will be special entertainment for all ages and all sorts of interesting exhibits for your furry best friend. The event is free, but parking is $5. Cantigny Park is located at 1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton.

August 5, 6, 11, or 12, 2014

Bears Training Camp

Get a sneak peak at the Bears by visiting their training camp in Bourbonnais. Whether you’re a fan, or are nurturing a developing football star, there are plenty of fun things to do for you and the kids. Shop in the gift store, play on the inflatables, meet Staley Da Bear, or  watch the practice.  Get up close and personal to your favorite players and kick off the season right. Practice takes place at Olivet Nazarene University. The gates open at 9:00 am, but get there early to secure a seat in the bleachers, or bring your lawn chair and sit on the hill overlooking the fields. Admission is free.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

National Night Out & Touch a Truck Event

Starting at 6:00 pm, the Oakbrook Terrace Park District and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office are joining forces with the National Night Out, America’s night out against crime. Shining a spotlight on anti-crime efforts, this is a national crime prevention event.

There will be music, entertainment, a wide range of trucks ready to be explored, and a movie in the park at 8:45 pm. The event is free and will take place at Heritage Park at 1S325 Ardmore Avenue in Villa Park.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Elmhurst Family Kite Festival

Join some of the Midwest’s best professional kite flyers in a day of stunt, trick and show kite demonstrations starting at 11:00 am. There will be a family fun fly, candy drop and free kite building for the kids. Sponsored by Providence Bank, Chicago Kite will be there for any last-minute kite needs. Kites will fly at Berens Park at 493 Oak Lawn Avenue in Elmhurst.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Thursday Family Night at Morton Arboretum

Family Night features live music and entertainment for kids and adults alike. Explore the Children’s Garden, the Maze Garden and Tree House Tales as well as music by the Ice Cream Vendors. Free for members and $5 after 4:30 for nonmembers. No registration is required.

Sunday Aug 23rd and 24th, 2014

Glen Ellyn Festival of the Arts

Starting at 10:00 am, the Glen Ellyn Lions will host the 45th Annual Festival of the Arts under the oaks at Lake Ellyn Park in Glen Ellyn. One of the longest running juried fine arts shows in the Midwest, discriminating art connoisseurs can visit 80 artists in all types of media. Showcasing choral, big band, jazz, folk, classical, blues and world music, there is a special Barefoot Dance in the Grass on Saturday night from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Activities to promote a love of the arts in children will abound, giving parents time to browse the booths and sample food from local vendors including a beer garden. Admission is free and a shuttle bus is available both days to move visitors to and from remote parking lots. More information including an updated list of artists and musical acts  can be found on their Facebook page.