The Vision Zero Safe Streets Workshop  is taking place from 2 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Oak Park Conservatory. The family-friendly, public workshop will include craft activities, light snacks and an opportunity for community members to talk about traffic safety. Residents are encouraged to stop by at any time during the open house event to learn more about the Vision Zero project, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on the roadways. By providing feedback and ideas, participants will be eligible to enter a raffle to win one of several gift card prizes. Visit www.engageoakpark.com/visionzero for more information.

African Americans and the Arts is the 2024 theme for Black History Month this February, and the Village is celebrating the occasion by highlighting Black artists who have made an impact in Oak Park. Geraldine McCullough is one of the most influential artists to have called Oak Park home. Media Production Manager Joe Kreml teamed up with Frank Lipo, Executive Director of The Historic Society of Oak Park and River Forest, to produce a video about McCullough’s life. Click here to view the video.

The Historic Preservation Commission is hosting presentations related to historic preservation in Oak Park prior to its regular meetings in February and March. The first event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8 in Council Chambers at Village Hall. Frank Lipo, Executive Director of The Historic Society of Oak Park and River Forest, will give a presentation on the history of the Black community in Oak Park from the 1880s until today. The talk will focus on social history, discrimination in housing, and the ongoing struggle to build and support a more diverse community since 1968. An emphasis will also be placed on the preservation of places where this history happened. On March 14, Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois, will host a discussion about “The Relevancy Guidebook,” providing ideas and models from innovators to make preservation a more relevant, just and accessible solution for the problems we face in a changing world.

The Village’s three public parking garages saw an increase of 58,264 customers in 2023 compared to 2022. This continues the slow recovery from the dramatic reduction in daily use of the garages that occurred in 2020 during the start of the COVID-19 emergency. However, the total number of daily customers in 2023 was still 219,892 customers fewer than the total in 2019. Last year saw a 9% increase at The Avenue parking garage compared to 2022, an 8% increase at the Holley Court garage compared to 2022 and a 6% increase at the Lake and Forest garage compared to 2022.

• Click here for comparison of daily parking revenue for all three garages from 2019-23.
• Click here for a comparison of daily utilization at all three garages from 2019-23.

Local commercial broker David King & Associates, Inc. has released information about office occupancy rates on Oak Park’s Lake Street corridor. Information gathered from nine of the largest office buildings on Lake Street totaling more than 375,000 square feet shows an overall office vacancy rate of only 8.8% at the end of 2023. Buildings included in the survey were the 1010 Lake St. building, Shaker building, 1144 Lake St. building, 1101 Lake St. building, the 1024-40 North Blvd. building, Scoville Square, the Medial Arts building, the Forsyth building and the 1049 Lake St. building. This vacancy rate, by any standard, is extremely low and serves as a reflection of how strong economic vitality currently is in Oak Park.  In comparison, David King & Associates, Inc. has investigated year-end office vacancy rates in other locations and has shared that the greater suburban Chicago office vacancy rate is more than 30%, significantly higher than the vacancy rate in Oak Park.

The Public Health Department’s nurse and health education team will be providing blood pressure screenings and a short presentation about lowering your risk for heart disease during a lunch and learn event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Oak Park Township office at 130 S. Oak Park Ave. The event is being held in conjunction with American Hearth Month. Health Department staff will share heart-healthy recipes and fitness information during the event. Walk-ins are welcome the day of the event, and anyone interested in attending can call 708.725.9129 to register ahead of time.

Village President Vicki Scaman was in the nation’s capital Thursday to participate in a meeting at The White House with approximately 80 elected officials and organization leaders from across Illinois and Indiana to discuss ways that the Biden-Harris Administration has invested in their communities. Scaman shared information on how American Rescue Plan Act funding has not only helped Oak Park recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also how those dollars have helped to accelerate additional priorities and initiatives. Those attending the Communities in Action forum also heard from other federal government leaders throughout the day, including Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President Tom Perez and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

There is still time for community members to participate in the Village’s Racial Equity Needs Assessment survey. Officials are seeking a broad range of voices to provide community input. The survey, which is available through Feb. 12, asks all Oak Park residents for their insights and perceptions of racial equity in Oak Park. Take the survey online at www.oak-park.us/racialequitysurvey. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete, and at the end participants can provide a phone number or email address to enter a raffle to win one of several $50 gift cards.

The Village welcomed Erin Baynes this week as she fills the new position of Assistant to the Village Manager. Erin comes to Oak Park after previously working at the Village of Libertyville. She graduated from DePaul with a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and Urban Studies.

Celebrate love in the Hemingway Business District during its “Tokens of Love” event on Saturday, Feb. 10. The community is invited to stroll, eat and shop through the Hemingway District while picking up a complimentary "Token of Love" at more than 25 participating businesses. The event begins at 10 a.m. and includes a family fun walk from 10 a.m. to noon and an evening walk from 5 to 8 p.m. From chocolates and Valentine’s stations to giveaways and discounts, there will be “Tokens of Love” for all ages. Click here for more information and a list of participating businesses.

The Village recently issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to professional artists or design firms to create permanent, original public art installations along Oak Park Avenue as part of the Oak Park Avenue Streetscape project. Artists who are interested in submitting a response can find more information in the RFQ posted at www.oak-park.us/OPAveRFQ. The submission deadline is Feb. 20. Find information about other requests for proposals issued by the Village at www.oak-park.us/bid.

If someone calls or knocks on your door promising a better deal on electricity, be cautious — you could be misled into switching to a supplier that will cost more. The Village is recirculating this message after recent reports of an unscrupulous solicitor visiting the homes of Oak Park residents. Salespeople who offer to save you money may ask for your account number or to see your bill. Most likely they are selling a low introductory rate or trying to get your account number so they can switch you to a different provider without your permission. Representatives from the Village or its electricity supplier,  MC Squared Energy, never solicit door-to-door or by telephone. More information, including some basic guidelines to help avoid scams, is available on the Village website – click here to view.

Blue stone and street paver installation is continuing on Pleasant Street along the new Focus Development property at the intersection of Pleasant and Marion Street. The tent is being relocated to the east side of the property to allow work to continue through the winter. Inside, painting and carpet installation is in progress in the maisonette units.