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The Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Special Service Area (SSA) No. 33 to gain more public interest in the future of the neighborhood.

Starting on March 29, SSA will be hosting open houses at 1275 N. Milwaukee Ave. that will have a multitude of activities that will allow residents in the area to discuss their past experiences in the neighborhood and what they hope the neighborhood will look like in the future. After March 29, the open houses will run for two weeks, each Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Jamie Simone, Manager of SSA No. 33, has been spearheading the plans for the development of Wicker Park/Bucktown and creating the events during the open houses.

The SSA program was created 28 years ago in order to provide an organization that utilizes tax money to help maintain and develop commercial districts, Simone said. The Wicker Park/Bucktown SSA was created on November 23, 2005.

"The open houses are a way for the community at large to get involved with [the future planning for Wicker Park/Bucktown] and provide their vision of the future that will be incorporated with the master plan," Simone said.

At the open house, events will include a panel discussion, hosted by SSA, a mapping event where residents can map out the area with the most need for rehabilitation and children art workshops, Simone said.

Paula Barrington, Executive Director of the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has been loosely working with Simone to help advertise the open houses.

“The Special Service Area has long helped keep Wicker Park and Bucktown beautiful,” Barrington said. “SSA has a great plan for the future and all that the [chamber of commerce] and SSA wants is to have the public more involved in the decision making of what will become of this neighborhood in the future.”

SSA has no official plan on what will be developed and rehabilitated in Wicker Park and Bucktown, Simone said. What she does know is that the neighborhood will continue to grow because of the constant interested outsiders are showing in the area.

“The SSA does control who moves into the area,” Simone said. “We are here to talk to the new and old residents to gain an idea on what the community wants to see happen in the neighborhood. We want them to know that their tax dollars are being spent based on what they want.”

The SSA and the chamber of commerce will be discussing future events and ideas during the panel discussions.