The success of Neighborhood Nights on Thorndale has caught the attention of the Chicago Tribune:

Edgewater loitering: Neighborhood seeks to counteract gangs with special nights along Thorndale Avenue at the ‘L’ stop

Neighborhood Nights events aim to help community reclaim a piece of Edgewater

By Mary Owen |Special to the Tribune

July 29, 2009

On a typical evening in Edgewater, dozens of young men linger along the sidewalks of Thorndale Avenue near the elevated train stop. Their presence is intimidating, say many in the community, and sometimes there is drug dealing and theft.

But on Monday evenings, the scene changes. Sidewalks fill with children playing board games and adults engaged in cards and chatting over grape leaves, courtesy of local Iraqi refugees.

The organized gatherings — called Neighborhood Nights — take aim at a more than 40-year history of gang activity along the business district in the 1100 block of West Thorndale Avenue. The strip has a shoe repair shop, dry cleaner, video store, coin laundry, liquor store and two family-owned restaurants. “It’s no coincidence that we chose Thorndale,” said Dan Kleinman, housing director of the Edgewater Community Council, which sponsors Neighborhood Nights. “If you can fill Thorndale with an ongoing effort, it starts to become a more enjoyable place.” Continue reading