Faculty, staff and students filing into the freshly renovated Ravinia Elementary School this fall shouldn’t be startled by a critter perched above the front entrance.
That would be Rocky, the school’s raccoon mascot, in the form of a steel weathervane North Shore School District 112 commissioned local Highland Park artist Mary Seyfarth to create.
Seyfarth said she was particularly excited to design the weathervane because the building’s facade already boasts another feature from her family — a clock dedicated to her grandmother in 1929, a once highly involved member of the district’s board of education more than 100 years ago.
“I am totally pleased, satisfied, because the people I worked with were first-class professionals,” 78-year-old Seyfarth said, “Being on the same building as my grandmother’s clock is a wonderful Highland Park story — generational story; it has a sense of completion.”
D112 first inquired whether Seyfarth could create a weathervane for Ravinia Elementary School in November 2024, she recalled. School officials specifically asked if she could fabricate a raccoon in the cockpit of a propeller plane.
The third-generation Highland Park resident has studied in Switzerland, taught ceramics for more than 30 years at Columbia College, served on the board of the Evanston Art Center, and fashioned countless artworks, including a number of statues across the North Shore and downtown Chicago.
Mary Seyfarth with hand-drawn drafts for the Rocky weathervane in Highland Park Public Library, a place she refers to her as her “office” as its where she often works on her art. | SAMUEL LISEC/THE RECORD NORTH SHORE
But Seyfarth had never designed a weathervane before.
Taking inspiration from images online of raccoons and the Peanuts’ comic-character Snoopy in a biplane, she quickly sketched a “joyful” draft of Rocky piloting a propeller-plane with his ringed-tail flying out behind him.
What followed were seven to eight months of revisions. As the weathervane was to fly 60 feet up in the air for the indefinite future, its weight had to be properly distributed and balanced, she said.
Seyfarth attended Lincoln Elementary School as a child and took pride in a certain clock that was designed by the well-known architect John S. Van Bergen and mounted on one corner of the school’s exterior.
Titled “The Flight of Time,” the clock was dedicated to Seyfarth’s grandmother Nell Martin Seyfarth on Nov. 6, 1929, for the late-Seyfarth’s work with the District 108 Board of Education. After theLincoln School was torn down last year, the historic clock was moved to Ravinia Elementary School.
With that in mind, Seyfarth felt a special connection to the weathervane project, now that two generations of her family have been involved with contributing to artwork not just to the city but to Ravinia Elementary School.
“They could have bought a premade weathervane for $50, $60 to $160,” Seyfarth said of D112. “They probably have one of a raccoon of some kind, cheap-o things. If you Google weathervane, you never stop looking. There are zillions. So I compliment the school district for looking for a unique expression.”
Seyfarth also highlighted that woodland creatures have appeared in much of her past artwork, namely sculptures of birds. Two owls she created out of scrap metal are perched in a tree three blocks from Highland Park City Hall. Animals are important muses on which artists for ages have focused, she said.
After the design was finalized, the Rocky weathervane was eventually fabricated by Gallas Metalworks from Milwaukee and installed at Ravinia Elementary School on a brand new cupola on July 15.
The Rocky mascot will always be heading north as Ravinia Elementary School’s new weathervane atop the building’s front entrance. | Photo Submitted
Though Seyfarth no longer teaches art, the completed project exemplified her belief that an artist is never retired. You’re only as good as your last performance, she said.
“As ceramics comes easily to me, I’ve always got my hand in the pot, so to speak,” Seyfarth said. “I’ve got ideas for new projects. I’d like to do more weathervanes.”
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The Village of Kenilworth is putting the pieces in place for the next phase of its beach overhaul.
Phase 1 of Kenilworth’s Beach Improvement Project completed in May, and the Kenilworth Village Board has begun considering subcontracting bids for Phase 2, set to begin this fall.
Village Manager Kathy Thake provided updates on the project at the board’s meeting on Monday, July 21, which followed the opening of Phase 2’s bidding process on July 16.
With the first phase focused on beach protections and restoration, work to reinforce the shorelinebegan in late October 2024, as reported by The Record, and continued until May 2025.
Phase 2 will focus on functionality and accessibility, and specific improvements include a new bathroom facility, an ADA-compliant pedestrian ramp, new concrete stairs, seating options and window replacement, among others detailed on the Village’s website.
According to 2023 figures, the Beach Improvement Project was projected to cost $8.4 million. Following review from contractor Bulley and Andrews, the updated cost proved much higher. To complete the entire project within a year would cost approximately $13.9 million, according to new estimates that prompted the Village Board to choose a phased approach.
A rendering of proposed upgrades to Kenilworth’s beachfront. | Image Submitted
Although the Village allocated $7 million toward Phase 2 of the funding, another $4-$6 million will be needed to complete later stages on a multi-year timeline.
At Monday’s meeting, Thake said the bid package was higher than expected, and, because of this, there is a possibility that some packages may be rebid.
Thake said the project was “bid out by trade package,” enabling Bulley and Andrews, the construction manager, to solicit bids from subcontractors for 17 different trade, including concrete, steel and masonry.
“We are currently reviewing each trade and its alignment to the scope as presented in the drawings, as well as evaluating alternates that we included in the bidding,” Thake said.
While Thake said the project team is hopeful it can award the project in the coming week, the team is also evaluating another route. More critical trades could be awarded now, while others rebid over the coming weeks, she said.
Trustee John Gottschall questioned whether concern about the higher-than-expected price of the bids is warranted. Thake said that while concrete and steel were higher than expected, others could come in lower than estimated, and her team will analyze as more bids come in.
Responding to Trustee Christopher Ottsen, Thake said she hopes to wrap up bid evaluation and bring recommendations to the board by Wednesday, July 30.
If the bid evaluation period stays on track, Thake said construction could start right after Labor Day, following the end of Kenilworth’s beach season on Sept. 1.
“We’re hopeful we can meet that deadline,” Thake said. “And again, it’s a self-imposed deadline, but there’s a lot of prep work that needs to go in once we do award the contract that would take place in August.”
In addition to construction, another part of Phase 2 of the Beach Improvement Project is the relocation of the ComEd electrical utilities.
The Village is collecting bids to address the relocation, and proposals are due Thursday, July 24, in hopes of awarding the project at a special Village Board meeting on July 30.
“The (relocation) work, like I mentioned, is a critical path,” Thake said. “So it does need to be the first thing that’s done.”
Thake said the new location of the electrical equipment will be about halfway up Devonshire Lane. Assuming the Village gets favorable bids, work on the electrical relocation could begin before the end of August.
With the bids out for the next steps, Phase 2 is still on schedule for completion before the 2026 beach season, which begins Memorial Day weekend.
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Kenilworth Police Chief Bryan Carlson is hanging up his hat.
Carlson announced Monday, July 21, at Kenilworth’s Village Council Meeting that he will be stepping down from his post effective Tuesday, Sept. 2.
“Serving this community since September 1 of 1995 and leading the dedicated men and women of this department has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” he said.
Carlson was sworn in as Kenilworth’s police chief just over two years ago, on Feb. 23, 2023, following the retirement of David Miller in 2022. Before then, Carlson worked his way up the ranks in the Kenilworth Police Department for 27 years.
September will mark 30 years in the KPD for Carlson. Since its first officer was hired in 1911, only six officers — including Carlson — have put in that many years, according to village officials.
In his speech on Monday, Carlson thanked the Village leadership and staff, his fellow officers and community members.
While he said he is sad to leave, he looks forward to spending more time with his family, whom he said has taken a backseat to his work for many years.
“This decision was not made lightly,” Carlson said. “Law enforcement is not just a profession, it’s a call, and stepping away is both emotional and reflective.”
Following Carlson’s address, Village President Cecily Kaz thanked Carlson for his commitment to the Village and the relationships he’s made with both staff and residents over the years.
Despite Carlson’s departure, he said he will remain available to ensure a smooth transition and assist with onboarding.
Kaz said that at its August meeting the Village Board will consider the appointment of Sgt. Don Silva as active police chief. The process to hire a permanent police chief has not yet been determined.
Silva has served the KPD since September 2023. He has 26 years of experience as patrol commander and operations commander in Oak Park.
“I retire with pride in what we have accomplished here together and with confidence in the future of this department,” Carlson said.
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The following reports were pulled from the latest incident summaries provided by law enforcement departments in our coverage area (Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, Northfield, Kenilworth and Glencoe).
WILMETTE
July 17
• An individual was arrested for allegedly stealing packages from homes along Sheridan Road.
WINNETKA
No reported incidents between July 14-21 that meet The Record‘s standards for publication.
GLENCOE
July 12
• An individual was arrested for allegedly burglarizing a home and garage in the 200 block of Harbor Street. The individual reportedly was confronted by the homeowner before fleeing the scene prior to their apprehension.
HIGHLAND PARK
July 18
• Merchandise worth $1,470 reportedly was stolen from CVS, 1539 Clavey Road.
July 14
• An unlocked car reportedly was stolen from the 1600 block of Cavell Avenue.
• A car reportedly was broken into in the 1600 block of Northland Avenue.
• Items reportedly were stolen from Shell, 2135 Green Bay Road.
NORTHFIELD
No incidents reported between July 14-19.
KENILWORTH
No incidents reported by press time.
The Record’s police reports are taken from police-activity summaries prepared by local police departments. Police Reports contain public information from preliminary reports and are not a complete listing of all police activity. The Record does not publish the names of individuals arrested and named in preliminary reports unless the incident is a matter of public safety or has significant community implications. All arrestees are innocent until proven guilty.
A Village of Wilmette committee has agreed to recommend several proposed improvements to a portion of Lake Avenue but is split on whether to encourage bicyclists to ride on the roadway itself.
The proposed east Lake Avenue improvements, between Green Bay Road and Sheridan Road, were discussed during a Municipal Services Committee meeting on Monday, July 21.
The trustees who serve on the committee unanimously supported improvements to the Green Bay Road trail and to a “problem intersection,” but a majority did not recommend adding bicycle or shared lanes to the easternmost portion of Lake.
In a presentation, Melissa McGee, with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, said the purpose of the proposed improvements is to “improve pedestrian and bike safety” on Lake Avenue, and includes recommendations from the village’s Master Bike and Active Transportation Plan.
‘I don’t think we should encourage bike traffic‘
All three trustees supported a plan to add bike lanes and street parking to a portion of Lake from Green Bay Road to 11th Street; however, they disagreed on adding lanes, or even “share the road” signs, to the section from 11th Street to Sheridan Road.
According to McGee, the village’s Transportation Commission voted 6-1 to not recommend the plans to add bicycle lanes to Lake, but staff are continuing to recommend them because the plan supports the Master Bike and Active Transportation Plan.
Trustee Gerry Smith said he wants to see more data or another alternative, expressing concerns about speeding traffic interfering with bicyclists.
“Cars are screaming up and down the road there,” he said. “Our residents have talked about accidents that they’ve seen further east. … I need to see a little bit more data.”
He later added that he would like to see if it’s possible to redo the parkway to allow bikes.
Trustee Gina Kennedy, the chairperson of the committee, said while she believes that narrowing the roadway could make it safer for bicyclists, she did not feel comfortable with even posting on-road signage — which trustees called “sh-arrows” — letting drivers known that bicyclists use the road.
“(Narrowing lanes) does work to calm traffic,” she said. “Adding bikes into the mix, though? I’m not sure that accomplishes that, and maybe only makes it somewhat worse.”
Kennedy specifically cited data provided by McGee that revealed most bicyclists in Wilmette, 51-56%, are “interested but concerned” about riding, while only 4-7% describe themselves as “highly confident,” which are the riders most likely to bike in the street.
“If it was something that families felt comfortable using, that might be one thing, but it’s clearly not the case and it’s not going to be the case no matter what we paint on the pavement,” Kennedy said, later adding, “I don’t think we should encourage bike traffic (on Lake). There are other routes to the beach.”
Trustee Mark Steen, on the other hand, said he supported adding sh-arrows to the eastern portion of Lake. He disagreed with the assumption that adding them would lead to an increase in bicycle traffic on the road.
Using data from the bicyclist app Strava, McGee presented a map that showed most bicyclists in Wilmette utilize Central Avenue, which does not have any accommodations for bicyclists, while Greenleaf Avenue, which is signed for bicyclists, sees about the same amount of traffic as Lake.
And while she didn’t have the data readily available, McGee recalled that only two accidents involving bicyclists occurred on Lake over a five-year period.
Steen said, in his opinion, that data proves that bicyclists will utilize any roadway whether it’s signed for them or not.
“The implication is that bikes share this lane,” he said about signage. “That, to me, does have an incremental calming effect and it’s not clear to me that it adds incremental unsafe biking on the road.”
He also said that he supports the village’s active transportation plan and believes allowing bikes on Lake will help implement it.
“I’m going to come out for it because I do think the sh-arrows will help with the core piece of what we’re trying to do, which is the traffic calming without creating undue risk,” he said.
Despite the split recommendation, Kennedy noted that the full Village Board will have the final say in the matter.
‘Problem intersection’ and Green Bay Road Trail
A diagram for proposed fixes of a complicated intersection in Wilmette.
While they disagree on bike lanes, trustees were united in their recommendations to fix what was described as both a “problem” and “difficult” seven-leg intersection at Lake, Wilmette Avenue and 11th Street.
That was described by McGee as “confusing,” and she said of the 93 Lake Avenue accidents that were reported over five years in the proposed area for improvement, a third of them happened at that intersection.
She said the seven-way intersection includes a four-way stop and has a sharp intersection angle and 80 conflict points, or locations where vehicle travel paths intersect. Most four-way stops have 24.
Trustees recommended a proposal that would cut off northbound traffic at the southwest leg of 11th Street, while also converting the northwest and southeast legs to right turn only lanes onto Lake.
“It improves safety at the intersection by addressing the primary crash patterns that are happening here,” McGee said. “And it reduces the number of conflict points from 80 to 36.”
The plan would also create a curb “bump-out” along Wilmette Avenue, which would help shorten walking distances for pedestrians.
While trustees supported the proposal, they also questioned if it may end up causing more issues down the road. They specifically cited the upcoming opening of nearby Small Cheval and renovations to Plaza del Lago that could lead to an increase in traffic in the area.
Much of the discussion centered on a T-shaped piece of concrete that would direct traffic eastbound on Lake from the southeast portion of 11th Street. Trustees questioned if they absolutely needed to approve the structure, or if they could leave it out and wait to see what happens to traffic.
Village Engineer Dan Manis said that if the trustees decide to go with signage instead of a physical structure, other parts of the design would have to be revisited, since they were designed with all proposed improvements in mind.
Steen said that, while he has issues with parts of the proposal, he can’t think of a better solution.
“It’s clear that I don’t love the answer, but that’s the fact of the geometry of the intersection, not the work that (consultants and staff) have done,” he said, later adding, “It is likely that we won’t solve all the problems, that we will need to budget for more solutions, whether they be at this section of somewhere downtown.”
Kennedy offered similar comments and said she’s concerned about the behavior of drivers on the road.
“I’m really terrified of the downstream effects of what we do here,” she said, “and that’s why, while I favor this, I think we need to keep looking at this area and saying, ‘What can we possibly do to make it safer than it is now and safer than it might be in the future?’”
Trustees also unanimously supported altering the Green Bay Trail where it crosses Lake Avenue just east of Green Bay Road.
The proposal calls for eliminating the slanted crossing adjacent to the Wilmette Fire Station and replacing it with one that is perpendicular to the road.
The proposed Lake Avenue changes will next go to the village’s Historic Preservation Commission in August or September, while a final public information meeting will be held around the same time.
The plans are expected in front of the full Village Board sometime in October or November.
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Under the green awning of the North Shore Senior Center entryway stands a sign that reads “Welcome Back,” inviting guests through the main south doors for the first time since January.
For the last five months, those doors were shuttered, as the senior center has undergone extensive cleaning, reconstruction and inspection following heavy rains that damaged the building at the end of January.
But on Monday, July 14, the senior center resumed full operations, as announced in a Facebook post, welcoming older residents of the North Shore back to a restored hub of community and care.
The organization will host a grand reopening, Cheers to NSSC, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, at its homebase, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield. The event will also commemorate 25 years in the senior center’s flagship location, which was founded on Aug. 18, 2000, and feature food, live music, a silent auction and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The senior center is also encouraging donations at the event to cover the cost of regular fundraising needs.
“This was a speed bump,” said Tish Rudnicki, the organization’s executive director. “It wasn’t debilitating, yes challenging, but not debilitating. So we’re celebrating the grand reopening as well as 25 years in this building, and happily. She looks much better than she did a year ago.”
Almost six months since the damaging rains, The Record breaks down the recovery efforts and what is still to come for the North Shore Senior Center.
The restoration process
Rudnicki was on her last day of vacation in January when she woke up to dozens of panicked texts and phone calls. When she returned the evening of Friday, Jan. 31, she found the North Shore Senior Center in “gut-wrenching” disarray.
Heavy rains from overnight into Jan. 31 flooded into the senior center, compromising its welcome desk, shop and administrative offices, among other areas. Rudnicki entered the scene to felled downed ceilings, destroyed walls and curled flooring, she said. The building’s south side also suffered extensive damage, resulting in the closure of the center’s main entrance.
The North Shore Senior center’s south entrance reopened on Monday, July 14.
Over the past five months, approximately half of the senior center’s 40,000-square-foot building was closed, Rudnicki said. The center dried before officials did an initial cleaning and then searched for contractors to begin restoration, which did not begin until the end of April.
Repairs include an improved HVAC and restoration to the building’s front entrance, exterior and interior areas. She added that some of the improvements, such as the addition of an ADA-compliant reception desk, made for a silver lining to the disaster.
“As difficult as the past few months have been, what has been really fun in all of this is we could update and refresh, because we needed to replace antiquated, dated pieces of the center,” Rudnicki said.
Reconstruction, however, did not come without challenges.
North Shore Senior Center’s insurance claims reportedly were denied, so it had to launch a fundraising campaign to support the restoration.
“(The most challenging part) was really securing the funding and making sure that we were able to restore the building appropriately, safely and with some updates without overspending,” Rudnicki said.
The organization set a goal of $1.5 million for its spring fundraising campaign to cover the costs of restoration and its standard nonprofit needs. Though donations came up slightly short of that goal, Rudnicki said, they covered the cost of a new roof.
She said that after receiving an initial estimate of more than $1 million for a new roof, the senior center found a new method and provider at a cost of roughly $410,000. The roof replacement was sealed and water tight by its proposed deadline of late May, officials said.
Although the building has been open in a limited capacity since early February, the reopening on July 14 marked the first time the entire building has been accessible and functional.
As the senior center prepares for its grand reopening, the tuckpointing crew will finish up repairs on the building’s north side, which served as the only entrance during repairs. Rudnicki said other finishing touches include painting, cleaning, moving back into the shop and restoring a brick floor inside the building — changes expected to be completed by the Cheers to NSSC event.
A community pillar
The North Shore Senior Center is a nonprofit that has served adults and families across the New Trier area and Chicago’s northern suburbs since its founding in 1956. Today, the organization serves nearly 25,000 individuals annually through counseling, fitness programs, memory care, lifelong learning, volunteer opportunities and other services.
The center receives significant funding from New Trier Township, as well as several municipalities, such as the Villages of Glenview, Northbrook and Skokie.
Rudnicki said that the damage to the center, while disappointing, did not impact users’ ability to be together. Having a physical space to gather helps prevent social isolation and its negative impact on the health of older adults, she added.
“Why it’s so key for us is because it brings people together,” Rudnicki said. “It allows people a place to gather and to meet friends or to volunteer or to take a class. So it really does impact their feelings of isolation.”
A look at the North Shore Senior Center’s renovated entry space.
Lisa Kent has volunteered at the North Shore Senior Center for at least six years, working at the shop and lecturing as well.
Kent said she was impressed by how quickly the senior center reorganized. The staff found a new room for the shop, which was decimated by water damage, in less than two weeks. Other on-site activities and services halted only briefly, many shifting online or resuming in person in a modified space by Feb. 10.
“It’s such an important place for so many people, even just for the socialization aspect, having a place to go and people to talk to and activities,” Kent said. “It’s so important that it not be closed for a long period of time, and the fact that they were able to keep that going, I give them real kudos for that.”
While Kent said the shop’s temporary relocation posed some setbacks — such as the inability to access supplies in the old room and having to scale back on fundraising due to limited space — it also offered new opportunities. For example, the accommodations enabled Kent to connect with the sewing bee ladies, who are normally in a separate room.
Walt Polsky, a volunteer of almost two and a half years, had similar praise for the staff’s adaptability in the face of challenges. He said the water damage and reconstruction had “minimal impact” on him and his volunteering.
“I think it was a little disorienting to staff, to volunteers and also to members,” Polsky said; “however, the North Shore Senior Center is so well managed and so well staffed that they had to make changes on the fly, and they just jumped into it.”
Polsky said he is touched by all the work the organization does for the North Shore community. As repairs wrap up, he looks forward to reuniting with everyone in the restored building.
Likewise, Rudnicki said she is grateful for the community support and the generosity of donors who have made this reconstruction possible.
The upcoming Cheers to NSSC event, which Rudnicki anticipates will attract between 400-500 attendees, will serve as a “thank you” to the community. Throughout this process the community has affirmed that the senior center’s place in the North Shore is an important one, she added.
“We’re just really excited for anyone in the community who wants to join us at our Cheers event,” Rudnicki said. “We would love to see people come out, even folks who’ve never been here, to see what we’re all about.”
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It was a fine night to try something new on Chestnut Court in Winnetka.
Good Grapes Winnetka provided that opportunity to local wine lovers on Saturday, July 19, with the shop’s annual Taste of Good Grapes.
Daniel Chardell swirls a sample during the event in Winnetka.
More than 40 wines were available to sip prior to potential purchase, and dozens took advantage while taking over the quiet downtown Winnetka street.
“It’s an opportunity to try new small-batch wines without having to buy the bottle first, and it’s a highly social event,” said Theresa Lucas, the owner of Good Grapes. “… It’s an event that can bring the community together.”
The ticketed event also served as a fundraiser for The Record North Shore, a nonprofit community newsroom that received a portion of the evening’s ticket sales.
Katelyn Kemper, of Winnetka, with a glass during the tasting.
The event also featured a charcuterie table and a jazz trio.
Wilmette residents Marnie and Jim Bach were on hand to support both local businesses. Marnie said the couple found Good Grapes a couple of years ago and called the shop “a total gem.”
“She has fantastic wines here,” Marnie Bach said. “This is just the second time (I’ve) been to this particular tasting and it’s great in terms of the quality of what they are showing here and it’s just fun.”
(Left to right) Lora Dubin, Sherri Koenig and Stacy Hawks learn more about their wines at Taste of Good Grapes.
Marnie and Jim agreed they’d definitely be buying some wines and created a scoring system to help them choose, jotting down notes on their order form to inform their eventual decision.
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Northfield residents have formed a new group, Northfield Advocates, and yes, the pronunciation matters.
In fact, it is central to the group’s mission.
“‘Advocates,’ that’s a verb, not a noun, which is intentional,” said Christopher Hoerdemann, a member of the grassroots group. “The idea behind our group is that Northfield residents, not our group, will be the ones doing the advocating.”
Hoerdemann, who announced the group’s formation at Northfield’s Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, July 15, said Northfield Advocates’ goal is to serve as a channel for organized input from the community to the Northfield Village Board and staff.
He is one of 14 members listed on the group’s website, and among others, he is joined by Pamela Papadatos, a business owner and former Village Board candidate, and Barnaby Dinges, a former trustee.
The group will gather feedback from Northfield residents through online community surveys, the first of whichis posted on its website and closes Aug. 1.
Northfield Advocates plans to draw attention to its surveys “grassroots and guerrilla style” as it starts out, Hoerdemann said in response to a question from Village President Tracey Mendrek. The group will use email and social media networks to spread the word.
The current survey is short — just three questions — and asks residents to suggest improvements they would like to see around the village.
Dinges noted that Northfield does not have a lot of amenities that its neighbors have, such as a bookstore and an ice cream parlor. Dinges said that while he likes to think he knows what the community wants, it is more important for the village government to see real data.
Following the survey’s expiration, all data will be accessible on the Northfield Advocates’ website, Hoerdemann said. While the data will be organized, it will neither be edited nor presented to push an agenda, he added.
“We’re here to collect insights and to help ensure residents’ voices play a substantive role in the conversations that shape Northfield’s future,” Hoerdemann said.
Dinges said the group hopes to engage Northfield’s increasing number of young families in local government.
Other goals include building trust between residents and local government, as well as making the community more resilient, he added.
“We live in a time where there’s a lot of distrust across the county with government and how it works, and we certainly have some of that in Northfield,” Dinges said. “We want to get beyond that, and we feel like dialogue and engagement is an important part of just moving beyond that lack of trust.”
Hoerdemann said the group intentionally launched following Northfield’s newly sworn-in Village Board, which he said represents an opportunity to improve communication between residents and local government.
“We truly believe this effort can make a positive impact both as a conduit for resident perspectives and as a resource for the Village Board and staff,” he said.
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It is last call for a popular outdoor dining venue in downtown Glencoe.
The pandemic-era “streetery” at Guildhall, which opened in October 2022, is enjoying its final season and will be taken down at the end of September.
Village President Howard Roin provided an update on the streetery during the Glencoe Village Board’s regular meeting on Thursday, July 17, addressing feedback that he, trustees and the village manager have been receiving over the past few weeks.
As previously reported by The Record, the streetery at Guildhall, 694 Vernon Ave., is located on the pavement of Vernon Avenue — in the public right-of-way. It provides seating for more than 60 diners and is climate-controlled, in addition to containing removable side panels for use year-round.
Prior to that, according to Roin, Guildhall had “greenhouses” that were used for outdoor dining.
“Guildhall’s understanding with the village at all times was that the structures — first greenhouses, then the streetery — would be temporary and would be removed when the pandemic restrictions receded,” Roin said.
Originally, the streetery was set to be taken down in fall of 2024, but Roin said that the village granted Guildhall’s request for one more season of the streetery, as the restaurant hoped to recoup its investment in the large structure.
With its impending removal, Roin said the village has received many requests from Guildhall’s patrons to keep the streetery open; however, he added that there have also been concerns about the impact the streetery is having on the downtown business district, which Roin referred to as “uptown” Glencoe.
“We understand that some of our residents and some of the patrons of Guildhall are fond of the streetery,” he said. “But as the pandemic receded and times have changed, we’ve also continued to hear from residents and others who dislike the streetery for a variety of reasons — its appearance, its crowding of the Vernon Avenue sidewalk, the loss of parking spaces, and its overall impact on our small uptown business district.”
He added that the streetery’s removal should not be taken as a sign that Glencoe does not support outdoor dining.
“To the contrary, following the issuance of the final permit for this year’s streetery, the village retained a firm that is working with a consultant, our business community and our residents to improve the streetscape of uptown Glencoe and to improve the parking in uptown Glencoe,” he said.
Roin encouraged residents, nonresidents and businesses to share their feedback on any potential streetscape redevelopment. He said anyone who wants to make a comment should do so on the village’s website.
“The plan for Guildhall has been in place for a long time,” Roin said. “We’re moving forward, and I hope that we can improve our uptown streetscape and parking as we move forward.”
Guildhall has the streetery listed for sale on site with a sign directing interested parties to email gerry@guildhallrestaurant.com.
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Gavin Vradenburg, of Deerfield, is a recent Loyola Academy graduate who was the Ramblers leading receiver (49 catches, 572 yards, 6 TDs) in 2024. Vradenburg will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?
Every time before a game I would text my mom and tell her I love her. That’s literally the one thing I did. I didn’t care about anything else. When we played against DePaul, I was out on the field and I realized I didn’t do it. I ran back to the lockerroom, grabbed my phone, text my mom and ran back out.
2. Why West Point?
My grandfather went there, and truly I’ve always felt some sort of calling to the military. Thought about going to a state school and doing ROTC, but Loyola Academy made me into a man, made me proud of who I am and this is just my calling and something I felt I needed to do. When I visited there, people at West Point who are very similar to me — athletic, go-getter type of guys … who choose to go to war for each other.
3. What was the biggest improvement for you between junior and senior seasons?
If I had to say, my mental strength. Junior year I was in my head a lot. I thought it would be easy. I had two Division I players in front of me. I was also the coach’s kid so I thought my dad would give me a little leeway, but turns out he was harder on me than anyone else on the field … and truly I’m glad for that it taught me a lot. So from junior to senior years, I realized it was up to me and nobody else and I wasn’t going to be given handouts, so I need to work for it. I grinded that whole offseason. I didn’t take a day off.
4. Your dad, Tyler Vradenburg, is Loyola’s offensive coordinator. What’s something that is surprising about that dynamic?
He was so hard on me it was ridiculous. You can ask any of the guys on that team. … If I had a bad practice, we would not talk on the way home and I would hide from him. But being on the field with him, it truly made me such a better player. I know he is hard on me for a reason. Winning state and being a big part of that with him by my side was probably the coolest moment in my life. He and I are so close, and I think throughout the season we got even closer.
5. If you could play another sport, what would it be?
Rugby. At West Point, looking to walk on for football and if that doesn’t work out, I’m trying out for the rugby team. It is similar to football, and receivers don’t get to hit that much … but I love getting hit. So rugby would be a good spot for me, especially at West Point where I heard there are a lot of guys who didn’t make the football team.
6. Who is your favorite athlete?
It’s probably Derek Jeter (MLB — retired). I grew up watching the Yankees and I admired his leadership on and off the field. He was known as the greatest leader of all time. I had a FatHead of him on my room at age 6, probably. I played baseball growing up. I didn’t start playing football until 13 or 14, so baseball was my sport and I played shortstop as well, so he was always my inspiration.
7. What’s your favorite thing to do off the field?
If I had to say, I’d say reading. I really like reading. Just started a new book about American history; that’s something I really like. I’ve also taken a bit of guitar — not that much though. Reading is up there, and I have six horses at home, so taking care of them is a big job of mine. I love going out there. … Feeding them, taking care of them and being around them. I’d probably say I like that the most.
8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?
A Milky Way. I love a good Milky Way. I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved it. My favorite candy bar.
9. What’s something people don’t know about you?
Probably the horses. A lot of people don’t know I have six acres in the back of my house and a lot of time I am out there taking care of my horses (Hugo, Yankee Doodle, Petey, Ivy and Napoleon) with my mom and my dad — my sister stays far away from them. And we also have a donkey too (Shrek).
10. What does Loyola football mean to you?
Loyola football means brotherhood to me. When you talk about Loyola football, you think about the connections we had. Last year, we were lucky enough to have a number of Division I recruits and Division III recruits, but we don’t play as ones, we play together. A lot of us hadn’t known each other for long, met each other in high school. I didn’t know Ryan (Fitzgerald, quarterback), Drew (MacPherson, running back), Will (Carlson, receiver) or Conlon (Kane, receiver) until high school, but immediately we formed a bond and those guys I can say are going to carry my casket and be at my wedding. I don’t think there was a single game where I went out there that I wasn’t sure that every single guy, to my right and left, was going to do their job.
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