Two new eye-catching pieces were recently installed in Oak Park per the Village’s zoning ordinance requirement that either a piece of public art be installed at the site of any new planned development or that a donation be made that would lead to the installation of public art within Oak Park. Maeve on Lake, the new luxury living residential development at 835 Lake St., recently installed a leaf-inspired sculpture (left) by Hilde De Bruyne. The sculpture is located in front of the building facing Lake Street in the northeast corner of the development. Additionally, the new Porter luxury residential development at 1105 Pleasant St. recently installed a colorful new sculpture (below) by artist Cody Norman. The piece has been placed at the southwest corner of Pleasant Street and Marion Street in the Pleasant Business District. Look for additional public art in the near future that will be purchased and installed as a part of new residential developments located at 261 Washington Blvd., 435 Madison St. and 7 Van Buren St.

The Village received notification this week that it is being recognized with the 2024 John A. Sasso National Community Development Week Award through the National Community Development Association (NCDA). The award was created to recognize outstanding member efforts to celebrate National Community Development Week and will be received by Village staff during the annual conference this June in Cambridge, Mass. This is the second year in a row the Village will be receiving this award.

Neighborhood Services Department staff Vanessa Matheny and Nick Meier, with the help of Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson and additional Village staff Dan Yopchick, Joe Kreml, and former staff member Don Gordon, highlighted the work of CDBG funds through the creation of a video titled CDBG Goes Grease to the tune of Grease’s Summer Lovin’. The video was created in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Community Development Block Grant program and highlighted local community partners that participated in the video and the history of CDBG.

Development Services Director Emily Egan and Economic Vitality Administrator Cameron Davis joined Visit Oak Park Executive Director Annie Coakley at the kickoff event for the Cook County Tourism Alive Program at Thatcher Woods in River Forest. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle hosted the event that included addresses by several county commissioners, including Tara Stamps, who represents Oak Park and the rest of 1st District, as well as other county officials and representatives from area convention and visitors bureaus. Cook County created Tourism Alive and has invested American Rescue Plan Act funds in the initiative to assist in tourism recovery. Visit Oak Park, as well as the other Cook County convention and visitors bureaus, have benefited from the important Tourism Alive Program.

Village President Vicki Scaman, Trustee Ravi Parakkat and staff from the Development Services Department attended the Oak Park and River Forest Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Symposium on May 21st at Dominican University. The Chamber’s program focused on Economic Resiliency and involved a keynote address by Alycia Mason, U.S Field VP for McDonald’s USA & Owner of Candycopia here in Oak Park. In addition, numerous break-out sessions were facilitated with Oak Park’s own Emily Egan, Director, Development Services, presenting on leveraging authentic partnerships for local businesses.

Chief Communications Officer Dan Yopchick represented the Village Manager's Office as a featured presenter at Percy L. Julian Middle School’s Career Exploration Days on Thursday. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students rotated through 30-minute sessions to learn about communications and engagement work through a municipal lens and ask thought-provoking questions about the industry. Participants also proposed ideas for an Oak Park tagline as part of the Village's ongoing brand refresh efforts.

May is National Bike Month, and to mark the occasion several Village Trustees joined Village Manager Kevin Jackson and Assistant to the Village Manager Erin Baynes for a bike ride around the Village prior to Tuesday’s Village Board meeting. Information about bicycling in Oak Park is available on the Village website at www.oak-park.us/bicycling.   

As part of National Public Works Week from May 19-25, the Village is joining government agencies across the country in shining a spotlight on the ways public works professionals advance the quality of life of the residents they serve. Throughout the week the Village shared information via its communications channels about the wide range of tasks associated with public infrastructure managed by the Public Works Department. To mark the occasion, the Public Works Department hosted its annual BBQ for staff at the Public Works Center. Several Public Works employees also attended the American Public Works Association’s Chicago Metro Expo and Conference at the DuPage County Fairgrounds.

Five childcare providers in Oak Park have been awarded contracts to replace lead water service lines at no cost through the Village’s participation in the LeadCare Cook County Program. The program is managed by non-profit Elevate and offers free lead service line replacement connected to a licensed childcare facility through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. 

To help supply local community blood centers, the Public Health Department is sponsoring a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at Village Hall. Though walk-ins are welcome at the Health Department blood drive, appointments are recommended. Click here to schedule an appointment. Donors are encouraged to eat well the day of the drive, stay hydrated and bring their ID. Questions can be directed to the Health Department at 708.358.5480 or health@oak-park.us. Individuals willing to donate blood can also find nearby donation sites and dates by visiting the Red Cross website at www.redcross.org/give-blood. 

Starting tonight, overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced on most Oak Park streets over Memorial Day weekend. Overnight on-street parking restrictions will be lifted at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, May 25 and resume at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 29. All other parking regulations remain in effect, including restrictions in zones reserved for permit holders, daytime posted restrictions and regulations related to traffic and public safety. The holiday parking schedule for all of 2024 is posted at www.oak-park.us/holidayparking.

Village Hall will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. Oak Park’s annual community Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Peace Triumphant Monument in Scoville Park. Refuse and recycling collection will be delayed by one day next week as a result of the holiday.  

Following a successful opening day, the Oak Park Farmers’ Market continues its celebration of Go Green Days this Saturday with a focus on local efforts around environmental sustainability and ways the community can get involved. The Market takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in the Pilgrim Church Parking lot at 460 Lake St.

Residents and staff members gathered together earlier this month for a morning of educational fun, department tours, Q&A sessions, demonstrations and refreshments as part of the Village’s Building Safety Month at Village Hall. Organized by the Development Services Department’s Permit and Development Division, the event featured several interactive displays set up by Chief Building Official Steve Cutaia, including how smoke detectors work with Smoke Check cans, how wood reacts to nails and the difference between types of glass and how they break.

Madison Street improvements – This week the contractor began framing new curb and gutter locations along the north side of Madison Street. Removals for driveways and sidewalks on the north side will occur next week along with electrical work for the new street lighting and traffic signals.

Euclid Avenue water improvements – The contractor began excavating and pouring concrete in the roadway this week between Lake Street and North Boulevard. Steel plates were placed in front of alleys and driveways to allow access for residents and business owners. The concrete work will continue through this week, followed by asphalt paving next week.

Alley improvement project – The contractor is currently excavating the seventh alley under the first contract, located between the 1200 blocks of Ridgeland Ave. and Edmer Ave. This alley will be reopened by the end of next week. Work will begin in the final three alleys under the first contract next week. For the second contract, construction at the third alley between the 1000 blocks of Humphrey Ave. and Austin Blvd. is expected to begin on June 18.

Austin Boulevard sewer improvements – The contractor is working on sewer spot repairs on Austin Boulevard north of Garfield Street. The shotcrete subcontractor will be onsite to begin manhole reconstruction at various locations along Austin. The crew will also be pouring curbs and sidewalks at various locations where sewer work has taken place.

Forest & Ontario construction – Crosswalk work is in progress in the area around the intersection of Forest Avenue and Ontario Street. The roadway will reopen once the new concrete base cures. Landscaping preparation is also in progress and brick monument pillars will be installed starting next week.

Lot 10 improvements – The contractor is working on sidewalk construction alongside the buildings adjacent to Lot 10. Next, they will be cutting and capping three existing irrigation lines. Crews are also preparing to pour the concrete curb at the northeast end of the parking lot.