Park West Community Association

Clear sidewalks on Clark Street

Clark Street Merchants Partner with Park West Community Assoc.

Clark Street Merchants Partner with Park West Community Association.


The Park West Community Association’s Neighborhood Improvement /Clark Street Initiative Committee is implementing a Clark Street Snow Removal Program with the merchants between Fullerton and Diversey Parkway. The objective of the program is to improve the sidewalk safety for pedestrians and improve winter business for the merchants.

In years past there has been debate about the responsibility for the removal of snow from the sidewalks along Clark Street. This led to finger pointing among merchants, landlords, local government and shoppers. The result was ice and snow build-up throughout the winter making Clark Street unsafe and difficult to shop or dine.

The Neighborhood Improvement Committee decided to take the initiative and take the debate out of the picture. Free snow shovels and 20 lbs. bags of ice melt are being offered to all merchants on Clark Street who agree to maintain a snow and ice free sidewalk in front of their business. A letter describing the program was distributed to all the eligible merchants on January 7. The immediate response from the merchants was overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Commitments were made to keep the sidewalks safe during the coming months.

On January 10th members of Park West will work with representatives from the Department of Streets and Sanitation to distribute the shovels and ice melt to the merchants who agree to participate in the program. You will know the merchants who are participating in the program because of the snow and ice-free sidewalk and they will also display a Park West program poster. Look for these posters and favor those merchants who have agreed to keep the sidewalks of Clark Street safe to walk along this winter.

The next edition of Common Ground, as well as, PWCA’s web site will feature participating merchants so that you can easily identify and patronize them.

As needed, representatives from the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce will call on participating merchants to encourage participation in the snow removal program.

The members of the Neighborhood Improvement Committee (Paul Carlson, Tom Flynn, Paula Kahn and Shirley Weese Young) wish to thank Alderman Vi Daley, Ward Superintendent Dee Brody and Kim Klausmeier of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce for their assistance in implementing this program.