The Village is issuing reminders that every Oak Park resident is required to purchase a vehicle license for each owned or leased motor vehicle before July 15. The rate increases by $20 after the deadline. Failure to purchase a license also could result in a ticket. A current vehicle license is needed to purchase a parking permit. Vehicle license rates vary by type of vehicle. Persons age 65 and older, and anyone who has a state-issued handicapped license plate or placard, can apply for a discount. Disabled veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces with the proper documentation can apply for free vehicle licenses. Purchase and renew online at www.oak-park.us/vehiclelicense. For more information, call 708.358.7275, email parking@oak-park.us or visit www.oak-park.us/vehiclelicenseinfo.

During the first six months of the year there were 381,981 daily parking sessions recorded at the Village’s Holley Court, Lake & Forest and Avenue public parking garages. This represents a 5% decrease as compared to the first six months of 2023 and continues a trend of lower public parking garage utilization attributed to work-from-home office adjustments and shopping habit changes that have lingered after the pandemic. When compared to the same time frame in 2019, the total number of parking sessions for the first six month of the year is down 26%. The Holley Court Garage has experienced an 11% decrease in daily parking sessions compared to last year, but the daily parking sessions are up 11% at the Lake & Forest garage. Click here for a chart comparing parking sessions since 2019.

In terms of revenue generation, across all three garages, the Village’s 2023 parking rate adjustments have resulted in an increase in daily parking revenue of $101,750 in 2024, compared to the first six months of 2023. However, even with the 2023 rate adjustments, the Village’s daily 2024 parking revenue for the first six months of the year remains 2% lower than pre-pandemic 2019 totals, when daily utilization at the garages were at an all-time high. Click here for a chart comparing parking revenue totals since 2019.

Approximately 75 kids participated in this week’s Youth Martial Arts Camp coordinated by Executive Coordinator Andrea Mance and the Village’s Adjudication Department. The free summer camp was held Wednesday through Friday in the Julian Middle School gymnasium. It was open to kids ages 6 through 14 who live or attend school in Oak Park. The sessions were conducted by experienced instructors with years of experience teaching martial arts and focused on physical fitness and discipline. The instructors were from Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts & Fitness Associates, Flying V Martial Arts, and Young School of Martial Arts.  

The Vision Zero plan recommendations have been drafted after gathering feedback from residents, carefully analyzing crash data, hosting discussions with key stakeholders and studying safety challenges in Oak Park. Community members are invited to review the traffic safety recommendations and provide feedback during the Vision Zero Open House planned for 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 in the large activity room at the Park District of Oak Park's Ridgeland Commons Recreational Complex, 415 Lake St. Light refreshments, activities for kids and a chance to win a raffle prize will be part of the family-friendly event. Feedback gathered will help the team refine its recommendations for the final Vision Zero plan, which is expected to be completed this fall. For more information about the Vision Zero project, visit www.engageoakpark.com/visionzero.

The Police Department bid farewell to Detective Kevin McCarthy, who retired Friday after 25 years of service. Kevin worked in many divisions of the department, including patrol, community policing as a downtown foot patrol officer and evidence technician. He became a detective almost nine years ago. In other employee news, Jose Macias is being promoted to the role of Parking Facilities Supervisor within the Development Services Department. Jose has been a valued member of the Parking and Mobility Services Division since 2014. Elsewhere, the Public Works Department welcomed Aaron LeBeau as the newest Automotive Service Technician in the Fleet Services Division. Aaron is a Marine veteran.

New public art is going up across Oak Park as part of the Oak Park Area Arts Council's Mini-Mural program, which brings a dash of color to the railroad retaining walls along the Green Line. Media Production Manager Joe Kreml recently profiled the mural created by artist Joey D. in a video that is being shared via the Village’s communications channels. The mural is located on South Boulevard outside the Ridgeland CTA stop. Click here to watch the video.

The Village will welcome its newest restaurant when Egg Harbor Café opens at its new location at 1111 South Blvd. in the Pleasant Business District. A regional business powerhouse, Egg Harbor Café’s Oak Park location will be the chain’s 24th across three states including Illinois, Georgia and Wisconsin. On Friday, Development Services Director Emily Egan (pictured left with manager Angel Mosqueda Gutierrez) and Economic Vitality Administrator Cameron Davis visited the first soft opening. Earlier this year, the Village Board approved a liquor license for the restaurant, and the Village also supported Egg Harbor through the restaurant’s utilization of Oak Park's Commercial Façade Improvement grant program. For more information about Egg Harbor Café and to check out the restaurant’s delicious menu, please go to www.eggharborcafe.com.

Professor Karolis Zukauskas will perform three separate readings of Ernest Hemingway’s work on Friday, July 19 as part of the Hemingway Business District’s three-day Hemingway Birthday Fete event. Zukauskas, a writer and professor of language arts at Morton Collage, will read the first six pages of “A Moveable Feast” at 6 p.m. at Selleria Veneta, 139 N. Oak Park Ave. He will read the beginning of book five of “A Farewell to Arms” at 7 p.m. at R Titus Designs, 143 S. Oak Park Ave. At 8 p.m., he will read from “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” at Yoga Loft Studios, 115 N. Oak Park Ave. Click here for a full list of special events taking place during the Hemingway Birthday Fete from July 19-21.

Lot 10 construction – Placement of the brick paver surface is underway in Lot 10. The contractor also began installing the electric vehicle controller cabinet base and two EV station bases on the east end of the lot. The contractor is working with ComEd on the installation.

Madison Street Improvements – Sidewalk replacements along the north side of Madison Street resumed this week with concrete work expected to continue into next week. The contractor also recently patched the utility conduits crossing Madison. Concrete work will continue through to next week.

South Boulevard water & sewer improvements – The water improvements on South Boulevard are expected to begin the week of July 15 at the Kenilworth Avenue intersection. The contractor is waiting on permit approval for the proposed sewer improvements. This past week, the contractor began mobilizing for the project by bringing various equipment and materials to the site. Construction layout and saw cutting is also underway. Electronic message boards will be installed early next week to warn residents about the upcoming work.

Sidewalk improvements – The contractor substantially completed the entire sidewalk project. Punchlist work is expected to begin next week.

Alley improvement project – All alleys scheduled for repairs this year have reopened. Punchlist work is in progress at the various sites where alley reconstruction occurred in recent weeks.

Forest & Ontario improvements – Monument pillars are installed on Forest Avenue. Additional patchwork and asphalt touch ups will occur next week, followed by punchlist work.