A Couple of Trips Down Memory Lane

1) Below is a 1996 photograph of the standing water at 2432 Oak Avenue. What you see is just one of eight backyards that began flooding on the north side of Oak Avenue after the village allowed the grade to be raised at 2428 Oak Avenue [R]. The grade was raised to construct the new garage in the picture and a long cement [impermeable] driveway. In this picture, the garage at 2428 is approximately one foot higher than the yard at 2432. The water is almost a foot deep in this picture. And the yard didn't drain for days. That's why the owner took the picture. 

Since this photo, the house with this backyard at 2432 has been torn down for a larger house with a bigger footprint. The grade was raised to the same level as the garage and driveway at 2428. 

2) Even though we took this picture [below], we're not sure what the date was. Sometime in the eighties, we believe. The original reason for taking the picture was to honor the beautiful elm tree that would be sacrificed at the altar of ending street flooding by adding curbs. 

Turns out the new curbs were a purely cosmetic change, despite what one resident, a longtime member of the Planning Commission, led us to believe. The street flooding continues to this day. 

The reason for posting this picture now is to point out why many people on Oak Avenue thought that the sewers had been improved when the curbs were added. Au contraire, mon ami, those pipes are only the intake pipes for the street grates. Not anything related to improving the sewers. 

The tree is gone, replaced with an oak. The three bedroom house with a one car garage in the picture was torn down, replaced with a McMonster. 

Go Green Northbrook

A new, eco-conscious group called Go Green Northbrook has formed under the direction of Northbrook resident, Doug Gerleman. 

According to the August 22, 2013 issue of The Northbrook Tower, the Go Green group formed during April's Earth Day event in downtown Northbrook. They have since attended the July 18 meeting of the Village's Environmental Quality commission to introduce themselves. EQC welcomed the new group and agreed to create an ongoing working relationship. 

In conjunction with Go Green reps from fourteen other North Shore suburbs, Go Green Northbrook might tackle the use of plastic bags in the area, making a push for the use of non-disposable shopping bags. Sunset, Whole Foods, and other neighborhood chains already have non-disposable bags for sale. Sunset also accepts plastic bags for recycling. 

Also on the agenda includes the construction of a recreational trail for bicycles or walkers by the North Branch of the Chicago River, near Willow Festival between Techny and Willow roads. 

Perhaps the most relevant initiative to Oak Avenue Flooding victims is the construction of more rain gardens in Northbrook to help curb flooding issues. The major issue with rain gardens is how to insure that future property owners will continue to maintain them. 

According to Gerleman, the local of group of fifty-eight residents is setting up a Facebook page to keep residents up to date with Go Green Northbrook projects, as well as recruit more volunteers. 

Go Green Northbrook meets once a month. For more information, contact Doug Gerleman at gerlemand@comcast.net.