Meetings scheduled for next week:
- Monday, July 8:
- Transportation Commission, 7 p.m. in Council Chambers
- Tuesday, July 9:
- Village Board Finance Committee, 6 p.m. in Council Chambers
- Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. in Council Chambers
- Wednesday, July 10:
- Farmers’ Market Commission, 7 p.m. in Room 215
- Plan Commission, 7 p.m. in Council Chambers
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m. in Room 101
- Thursday, July 11:
- Aging in Communities Commission, 6 p.m. in Room 124
- Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee, 6 p.m. in Room 101
- Historic Preservation Commission, 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers
The Village is starting the process of updating the Oak Park Bike Plan and is seeking community feedback to help inform decisions as the latest design best practices are considered to help develop an updated bicycle network. Visit www.engageoakpark.com/bike-plan to take a survey and plot points on a map where you feel safe or unsafe while biking. The page also includes more information about the project, which is a follow-up to the Village-wide Bike Plan first published in 2008 and updated in 2015. In addition to promoting the Bike Plan community engagement opportunities through the Village’s communications channels, information will also be available at the Bike & Blues Night on Thursday, July 11 at Thursday Night Out. Community members are encouraged to ride their bikes to the event where the Oak Park Cycle Club and Bike Walk Oak Park will be on hand to promote biking in the community.
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A light drizzle didn’t dampen spirits as Oak Park’s Fourth of July parade marched up Ridgeland Avenue from Adams Street to Augusta Street on Thursday morning. The Police Department, Fire Department and Village Board were among the dozens of groups that participated in the parade, which was organized by the Village’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
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The Oak Park Farmers’ Market is in the running to be voted among America’s favorite farmers markets as part of the 16th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration presented by American Farmland Trust. The community is encouraged to support the Oak Park Farmers’ Market earn a portion of the contest’s $15,000 prize pool by voting and encouraging your family and friends to vote through July 31 by visiting markets.farmland.org/markets/3898350. More information about the Oak Park Farmers’ Market is at www.oak-park.us/farmersmarket.
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At its meeting on July 10 the Plan Commission will review a planned development application for an affordable housing development, with on-site social services, located at 1106 Madison St. The proposed Keystone Apartments development is a five-story, 36-unit apartment building consisting of studio and one-bedroom units of permanent supportive housing for individuals with a chronic disability. The applicant, Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, developed the Grove Avenue Apartments at the northeast corner of Grove Avenue and Madison Street. Interfaith Housing Development Corporation will be coordinating efforts with Housing Forward on this proposed project.
Additionally, Housing Forward will also be introducing a separate zoning ordinance text amendment application and special use permit application to the Plan Commission in August. The text amendment is intended to create a new category within the I- Institutional Zoning District for a community service center. The special use would authorize the implementation of the center. This center would allow for an unhoused population of up to 45 persons to reside overnight at the St. Catherine/St. Lucy rectory building. This model is similar to the PADS model used in various religious buildings prior to the pandemic. Social services would also be provided on-site for the unhoused as well as St. Catherine/St. Lucy students and their families.
The Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its annual Business Spotlight Awards. Nomination categories include Community Character, Customer Experience, Excellent Eats, Local Legend, New & Notable and Small Business Superhero. Nominations are being accepted until July 19 – click here to submit a nomination.
The Oak Park Arts District is hosting its Sizzling Summer Sidewalk Soiree on Saturday, July 20. The community is invited to shop, eat, be creative and be well during the event, which is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Harrison Street between Austin Boulevard and Ridgeland Avenue. More information is available on the Arts District website – click here to view.
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Oak Park residents thinking about adding solar panels to their home are encouraged to attend the Solar Power Hour presentation at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9 at the Oak Park Public Library Maze Branch. Attendees will learn about the basics of solar energy, its financial implications for a household and how the Solar Switch Chicagoland program helps make solar panel installation more affordable and accessible through volume purchasing. Register for the event at https://shorturl.at/j3vfX. More information about Solar Switch Chicagoland is available at www.solarswitch.com/chicagoland.
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Forest & Ontario improvements – Monument pillar installation is in progress near the intersection of Forest Avenue and Ontario Street. Small patchwork and asphalt touch ups in the area are complete. The detour around the site has been removed, but temporary closures may still occur while workers are present.
Lot 10 construction – The contractor is pouring concrete to finish the sidewalk in Phase 1. Concrete is also being poured around manholes in the parking lot, the walkway and driveway entrance on the east side, and walk throughs in the lot’s south island. Porous Pave will be placed around the trees on the sidewalk north of the lot. Installation of the parking lot’s brick paver surface is expected to begin after the holiday weekend.
South Boulevard water & sewer improvements – Mobilization and traffic control setup for the upcoming project on South Boulevard is postponed to next week. No parking signs will be posted along the viaduct before the holiday weekend. Work is scheduled to begin at the intersection of Kenilworth Avenue and South Boulevard. Electronic message boards will be installed prior to any road closure to indicate nearby businesses remain open.
Alley improvement project – All alleys included in the Village’s first alley construction contract of the year have been reopened. For the second alley construction contract, the concrete is being poured in the alley between the 1000 blocks of Humphrey Ave. and Austin Blvd. and it will reopen this week.
Sidewalks improvements – The contractor has completed the majority of all sidewalk replacements scheduled for this year. Weather permitting, the contractor will replace any remaining sidewalk locations and perform parkway restoration after the holiday weekend.
Madison Street improvements – The contractor is working on patching the electric conduit crossings along Madison Street and at the intersection of Madison and East Avenue. The installation of new street lighting conduits and light poles is complete on the north side of Madison. Sidewalk replacements along the north side will resume next week.
Austin Boulevard sewer improvements – Sewer lining is complete on Austin Boulevard between Garfield Street and Roosevelt Road. Parkway restoration and sod placement is also complete along Austin. Permit pending, the detour at Roosevelt and Austin will be set up in the next few weeks.
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