EVA at 30: Back to Goldblatt's for free Sept. 13 event
On Sept. 13, the East Village Association celebrates 30 years of volunteer work in the West Town community with a free reception for EVA members.
Significantly, the celebration also will focus on the 2nd anniversary of the West Town Branch Library and the community’s efforts to raise funds in support of programming. Landmark Illinois will re-present the 1997 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award to EVA and the library for their Goldblatt’s preservation work.
The library stands as a testament to the commitment of community residents in the preservation battle that prevented this neighborhood landmark from being demolished, and now is the home of the West Town library.
The celebration will be at 6 pm at the library, 1625 W. Chicago Ave. There will be a video presentation of highlights from the community's last 30 years, and food and beverages will be served. Non-members may join at the event to attend, and all are encouraged to contribute to library programs.
EVA was officially established as a nonprofit community organization in 1982. It was created from a partnership between a block club and a group of new residents. The common bond was an appreciation of the neighborhood as a good place to live. EVA’s charter cited the desire to maintain their diverse community while making it cleaner and safer.
As part of the 30th anniversary celebration, EVA is issuing a special newsletter with an emphasis on the community's future.
The organization will also be the featured speaker at noon Sept. 20 at the free Landmarks Illinois Preservation Snapshots lecture in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Blvd.
This year’s celebration seeks to honor all those neighbors and businesses that have made a commitment to this community over the last 30 years, but also to welcome new residents and business owners and to recount the history of their neighborhood as they now become a part of the fabric of this community.
