The Village invites residents, business owners, community stakeholders and all interested parties to attend an Open House for the Economic Vitality Strategic Plan taking place throughout the day on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The event will take place at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St. in the Community Space from 9:30 a.m. to noon and the Veterans Room from noon to 5 p.m. The Village’s consultant, Camoin Associates, will have materials available for review and comment related to key strategies, priorities and objectives on the diversification of the Village’s economic base, life experiences for Oak Park residents and neighbors, and the built environment and infrastructure.

The Village is hosting a series of three workshops for Oak Park renters interested in learning more about tenant’s rights. The first session on Saturday, Feb. 22 will focus on how to use the Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance for code compliance issues. The series continues with workshops on how to review your lease for compliance on March 8 and how to obtain legal services on April 19. All three sessions will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center, 229 Madison St. Registration is free but space is limited. Find the link to register and more information about the workshops at www.oak-park.us/tenantworkshops. The workshops are organized by the Community Relations Division of the Village’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Community Service Administrator Vanessa Matheny and Grants Coordinator Nicholas Meier from the Neighborhood Services Department joined Administrative Officer Noemy Diaz from the Development Services Department at the National Community Development Legislative Conference this week in Washington D.C. The conference serves as a vital platform for learning about emerging legislation and regulatory changes that impact community development funding at the local level. Participants engaged with peers from across the nation, sharing best practices and strategies to effectively implement funding initiatives. The insights gained from this conference are key to enhancing the Village's community service programs and ensuring compliance with new regulations.

The Village officially launched Program Year 2025, which runs from Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026 – with an introductory workshop focused on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This session covered key CDBG rules and regulations, upcoming deadlines — including the March 3 application deadline — estimated funding projections and an overview of the draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan goals. A total of 26 nonprofits participated in the workshop, marking a significant increase from the 14 organizations currently receiving funding. Following the application deadline, the Community Development Citizen Advisory Commission (CDCAC) will review submissions and begin to make funding recommendations for the Village Board to review and approve. For more information about the CDBG program, visit www.oak-park.us/cdbg or email grants@oak-park.us.

Village staff is collaborating with University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs graduate program to develop corridor plans exploring land use, strategic (re)positioning, business attraction and retention and branding. On Feb. 1, Village staff facilitated a tour of the Village and shared some of the Village’s future-looking aspirations related to economic vitality, housing and sustainability. Students will present final projects in the spring.

The Village, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 continue to work in partnership to strengthen the safety of Oak Park’s students and schools. The Village collaborated with both school districts to develop a resource flyer with essential tips for safeguarding firearms and preventing access by children or unauthorized individuals. The flyer outlines best practices for responsible gun storage, including utilizing free gun locks offered by the Village and community partners, as well as details about local policies. Find more safety tips and resources for families at www.oak-park.us/safestorage.

The Oak Park Police Department welcomed a new Police Officer this week as Marcel Burke was sworn in during a ceremony Monday at Village Hall. Burke, who is a lateral hire, attended Seton Hall University on a track and field scholarship.  

The Village’s third annual Black History Month Celebration is taking place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association, 178 Forest Ave. Space is limited for the event and registration is full. The Black History Month Celebration will feature speakers, performers, interactive activities, music, refreshments and more while highlighting the 2025 Black History Month theme: African Americans and Labor.

Black History Month events are ongoing in Oak Park throughout February, including Harambee: A Celebration of Black Excellence on Saturday, Feb. 22. The free community event will feature an African Market at 1 p.m. and live performances at 2 p.m. at Longfellow Elementary School, 715 S. Highland. Kuumba Kids Dance, which performed at a recent Village Board meeting to kick off Black History Month, will be featured. Click here for a promotional flyer.

To better serve the community, the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township (CMHB) and the River Forest Township Mental Health Committee (RFT) are asking residents and other local stakeholders to take an online survey to share their thoughts and experiences with mental health, substance use and intellectual/developmental disability services in Oak Park and River Forest. The feedback gathered will be used to help CMHB and RFT better meet the needs of Oak Park and River Forest residents.

The Chicago Transit Authority is seeking artists interested in creating new, one-of-a-kind artwork at four locations throughout its system, including the Austin Green Line station in Oak Park. The opportunity is open to any artist with a background in two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. Prior public art experience is not a requirement. Artists are invited to submit qualifications for consideration through the CTA’s request for proposals portal.

The Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society is hosting its second annual service day on Presidents’ Day on Monday, Feb. 17. Spots are still available for the second of two volunteer sessions taking place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteer activities will be focused on providing art bags, books, dental goody bags and cards of encouragement for the young patients who visit the OPRFIWS medical and dental clinic. The event serves as an opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours and make a positive impact on a day off from school. Space is limited and registration is required. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Register online by Feb. 12 at www.oprfiws.org/all-events/iws-service-day.

The start date for the ComEd conduit installation project is postponed to the week of Feb. 17. The project will entail trenching new conduit for approximately one mile through the Village to improve system capacity for the proposed United States Postal Service facility in Forest Park. Traffic will be maintained during construction and the roadway will reopen at the end of each day. All affected residents will receive parking passes prior to the start of construction.