Bowmanville Community Organization

UPDATE!!! More tulip bulbs available today as of 5/13 10am. Happy Planting!

Tulip bulbs are being removed from Michigan Avenue and delivered to the vacant lot at 403 South Central Park. This lot is there right now as of 5/7 on the east side of Central Park and is directly south of New Horizons Community Garden (which is on the southeast corner of Central Park and Van Buren).

There will be more loads of tulip bulbs delivered this week and next. First come first served. This post is not being monitored.

With more rain expected in the Chicago area starting Friday evening, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) encourages area residents and business owners to reduce water use during and after the storm to help prevent flooding and protect water quality:

* Delay showers and baths
* Flush less frequently
* Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood watch for northern Cook County, in effect from 3 p.m. this afternoon through late Friday. With more than 3.15 inches of rain falling across the Chicago area between Tuesday and Thursday, the NWS reports that approximately 5.47 inches of rain have fallen so far this month—well above the normal April total of about 2 inches. This month’s rainfall is on pace to rival the April record of 8.68 inches, the wettest April on record. Meteorologists note that increasingly frequent heavy rain events are consistent with broader trends linked to a changing climate. Additionally, this marks the sixth overflow action alert in the past two months.

“Our staff is managing billions of gallons of water at our seven water reclamation plants and through our Tunnel and Reservoir Plan to protect our water environment and mitigate flooding,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “As we deal with this fast-changing weather this week, we encourage everyone to conserve water, when possible, to create more capacity in our systems.”

Learn how to prepare for stormwater at this link: https://mwrd.org/community-action/you-can-help-prevent-flooding-and-protect-water-quality.

Learn more about Combined Sewer Overflow prevention here: https://mwrd.org/community-action/overflow-action

Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alerts via text
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/YhH2xGP/MWRDSignup

Learn what you should do during flooding:
https://mwrd.org/community-action/what-you-should-do-during-flooding

For more information and explanations about how the MWRD’s infrastructure and waterway system operate, visit these links:

Learn about the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP)
https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/tunnel-and-reservoir-plan-tarp

Understand how the Chicago Area Waterway System works
https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/reducing-flooding/chicago-area-waterway-system-caws

Learn about the types of sewer systems in Cook County
https://mwrd.org/community-action/understanding-your-sewer

Request a presentation for your community
https://mwrd.org/education/speakers-and-outreach

Tour our facilities
https://mwrd.org/education/tours

Municipal partners can explore stormwater partnership opportunities
https://mwrd.org/stormwater/partnerships

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The top of the MWRD’s website displays a notification if an Overflow Action Alert is active. Visit mwrd.org.

Overflow Action Alerts are a joint initiative of the MWRD and Friends of the Chicago River

Read the press release:
https://mwrd.org/news/mwrd-issues-overflow-action-alert-5

We’re pleased to announce this year’s Earth Day Art Contest winner: Isabelle Festa, a Bowmanville resident and 3rd grader at Chappell. Her artwork captures the spirit of the day beautifully.

Join us for the Bowmanville Earth Day Cleanup on:
Saturday, April 25, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

To participate, stop by anytime during the event at one of our two locations:
• BCO Gateway Garden pergola (Ravenswood & Summerdale)
• BCO GreenSpace (near 5386–5410 N Bowmanville)

BCO volunteers will be there with gloves, trash bags, and assigned areas to help get you started. Come on your own, bring your family, or invite a neighbor.

We’ll have coffee, cider, and donuts available to keep everyone fueled.

This year, we’re also collecting non-perishable food donations for Nourishing Hope. If you’re able, please consider bringing an item to support neighbors in need.

It’s a great way to spend time outdoors, connect with the community, and help care for Bowmanville.

In case of inclement weather, updates will be posted here. Rain date: Sunday, April 26.