Over a four-day period this week, the Village collaborated with multiple community partners to successfully relocate 162 asylum-seeking migrants residing within the community into new temporary shelters. Click here for the latest update about how the Village and community partners will support asylum seekers now staying in temporary housing at the West Cook YMCA and The Carleton Hotel of Oak Park. With the moves complete, the Village’s efforts that had been focused at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where approximately 116 asylum-seeking migrants had been residing since the early-morning hours on Nov. 1, have ceased. For nine days, Village staff and community volunteers provided around-the-clock public health and safety services, language translation, meals and more at that location. For more information about the Village’s emergency response, visit www.oak-park.us/emergencyresponse23.    

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 has scheduled a community meeting for nearby neighbors who may be impacted by the school’s upcoming four-story building addition project. The kick-off meeting is planned for 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13 in the OPRF board room, and school officials plan to share the latest information related to the timing and logistics for the project. D200 committed to keeping the Village informed of its community outreach efforts related to the project when it was approved by the Village Board earlier this year.

Urban Planner Susie Trexler from the Village’s Development Customer Services Department has been selected to serve on the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council (IHSAC). The Council recommends places in Illinois to the National Register of Historic Places and advises the State Historic Preservation Office on matters pertaining to historic preservation. Members are appointed by the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Chief Building Official Steve Cutaia and representatives from HR Green, the Village’s inspection/plan review consultant, recently facilitated a series of residential code seminars at Village Hall. More than 55 contractors and design professionals attended the seminars, which discussed the Village’s recent building code changes that will going into effect. Jan. 1. Additionally, Chief Building Official Cutaia attended a meeting of the Oak Park Area Association of REALTORS on Monday and explained the Village’s new electrification code that also goes into effect Jan. 1. Concerns were raised among the attendees about additional costs associated with the new electrification ordinance, including the requirement that electric vehicle chargers be installed when new construction occurs.

Community Policing Sergeant Traccye Love and Officer Finn Murphy partnered with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to provide a presentation about preventing crimes against seniors for residents at the American House senior living community on Tuesday. The presentation particularly focused on fraud prevention. Information about preventing identity theft and other crimes is available on the Village website at www.oak-park.us/crimepreventiontips.  

The Police Department was visited by a group of residents from the 900 block of N. Marion St. on Thursday. The residents presented members of the Police Department with a plaque of appreciation on behalf of their block during a gathering in the Police Department’s roll call room.

Switching gas-powered appliances and systems for electric ones is a primary way for Oak Park residents to increase the energy efficiency of their homes and help reduce climate-heating emissions. With this in mind, Media Production Manager Joe Kreml recently produced a video that features Oak Park resident Derek Eder going in depth about how he fully electrified his home and offering tips for anyone looking to do the same. Click here to view the video, which is being shared across the Village’s social media channels. More information about electrification is available on the Oak Park Climate Action Network website at www.opcan.org/resources. Information about resources for Oak Park residents can also be found on the Village’s Sustain Oak Park website at www.sustainoakpark.com.

Oak Park residents who are considering the installation of solar panels at their home are encouraged to consider the Solar Switch Chicagoland Program, which provides homeowners with affordable solar panel and battery storage system installations through a group discount. By vetting and qualifying trusted installers and using a competitive bidding process, the program ensures consumer protection and saves the average consumer $4,000 on a standard-sized solar installation. Oak Park residents interested in making the switch to solar energy can sign up online at www.SolarSwitch.com/oakpark before Dec. 12. 

Leaders of the effort to re-start the Hemingway Business District organization met at Maya del Sol this week with more than 20 interested stakeholders to elect officers and continue efforts at establishing a new business association. The Village’s Economic Vitality staff attended the meeting and continues to aid the volunteer effort. Businesses interested in participating or community stakeholders interested in supporting the Hemingway District can contact the association’s leadership at HemingwayDistrictOP@gmail.com for more information.

The Oak Park Sculpture Walk remains on display in an outdoor exhibit in the Downtown Oak Park business district in the vicinity of Lake Street and Marion Street. Anyone interested in learning more about the sculptures can download the free Otocast app onto their smartphones to access details about each piece and hear descriptions of the work by the artists. Organized by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, the Sculpture Walk will be on display until spring 2024 and features the work of artists from throughout the Midwest. For more information, email sculpturewalk@oakparkareaartscouncil.org.

Street resurfacing project – Binder course was placed along the Augusta Street, Berkshire Street, Greenfield Street, Lexington Avenue and Clinton Avenue locations undergoing street resurfacing this year. Roadway construction is ongoing at the Elmwood Avenue location, and the subcontractor for underground work is expected to continue with sewer repairs at the Cuyler Avenue location into next week. The project contractor anticipates starting to apply the final roadway surface at various locations next week.

Pete’s Fresh Market update – Pavement restoration on Euclid Avenue just north of the site of the new Pete’s Fresh Market on Madison Street is tentatively scheduled to begin next Thurs., Nov. 16. No parking signs will be posted 48 hours in advance of the roadwork. AT&T’s service transfer is scheduled for next Monday, Nov. 13. The remaining AT&T and ComEd works is expected to wrap up by the end of next week.

Water and sewer improvements – The subcontractor restored the pavement on Augusta Street between Hayes Avenue and Taylor Avenue this week. The remaining area outside the Hayes and Augusta intersection was milled in preparation for the application of binder course, which is tentatively planned for Thurs., Nov. 16. Augusta is open to traffic between Lombard Avenue and Humphrey Avenue but closed at Austin Boulevard to minimize excess traffic.

Focus Development update – Site demolition is underway in the alley west of the new Focus Development at the corner of Pleasant and Marion streets. Crews estimate the alley will be restored and reopened by the end of next week. Meanwhile, masonry façade work is complete on the north, east and west elevations, the lobby floor is complete, mill work will be complete by the end of this week and bathroom tile installation is complete on level five and in progress on level six.

Miscellaneous construction updates – Nicor crews are excavating the 1000 and 1100 blocks of S Cuyler Ave., with partial lane closures anticipated while work is ongoing. Elsewhere, binder course has been applied to the roadway as part of ongoing work in the area near Forest Avenue and Ontario Street, which remains closed to traffic.