As part of National Public Works Week from May 18-24, 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 lunch for staff at the Public Works Center. Village employees from other departments also filled out hand-written signs noting why they love Public Works. The signs are on display at the entrance to the Public Works Center.

Oak Park Farmers’ Market officials are encouraging shoppers to make 2025 the year they pledge go plastic free at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market. Not sure where to start? Market officials suggest bringing a large tote for all of your Market goods, smaller containers for delicate items like berries, and mesh or cloth bags for items like tomatoes and smaller vegetables. The first 100 people to sign the Farmers’ Market’s pledge to reduce the use of plastics at the Market this Saturday, May 24 will receive get a free cloth bag to kickstart the plastic-free season. The Market is held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in the Pilgrim Church parking at 460 Lake St. Go Green Days continue at the Market this week with a focus on environmental sustainability, and an Energy Efficiency and Electrification Expo is planned for May 31 at the Farmers’ Market.

Oak Park Farmers’ Market Manager Jack Carmody was featured this past Monday on Good Day Chicago on FOX-32 to celebrate the opening of the 50th season of the Market. Jack showcased some favorite early-season goods from vendors at the Market, including strawberries, garlic, rhubarb, pickled asparagus, cheeses, meat, jam and beeswax candles. He also highlighted the Market’s Link Match program for customers using their SNAP benefits to purchase produce. The Village offers a matching coupon program so that SNAP customers receive a one-dollar coupon for every SNAP dollar they spend at the Market. Carmody encouraged Good Day Chicago viewers to stop by the Market this year, which runs from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 25 at 460 Lake Street in the Pilgrim Church parking lot.

As part of the nationwide Move with the Mayor initiative, Village President Vicki Scaman joined municipal leaders across the U.S. this week to encourage community members to tune into their physical and mental health and move their bodies. President Scaman not only talked the talk, but walked the walk by leading a community walk to the Oak Park Farmers’ Market's opening day on May 17. She then joined two gym classes at local schools to run, jump and play with some of our youngest Oak Parkers. Staff from the Public Health Department and Village Manager’s Office helped coordinate the events. Not only a movement, but a challenge, Move with the Mayor and President Scaman encourage all residents to find a physical activity they enjoy, invite friends, family or co-workers to join, and connect with their community while getting active.

After a successful pilot in 2024, Village Clerk Christina M. Waters is bringing back the Village of Oak Park’s Junior Deputy Clerk program this summer. Open to rising 5th – 12th graders, this initiative aims to empower youth through hands-on civic engagement by providing an inside look at municipal government operations and the vital role of the Village Clerk. Beginning on Friday, June 6, the program will be held on Fridays in June and July with the exceptions of June 20 and July 4 in observance of Juneteenth and Independence Day, respectively. Each week is limited to a maximum of three participants. Click here to learn more or register for an available date.

The Village's Community Services Division within the Neighborhood Services Department was selected as the recipient of the 2025 John A. Sasso Award by the National Community Development Association (NCDA). This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding efforts by NCDA members to promote and celebrate the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program during National Community Development Week. As the CDBG program marks its 51st anniversary, the Village deployed more than 200 yard signs and banners near key CDBG-funded infrastructure projects such as ADA sidewalk upgrades, alley repairs and street resurfacing, turning everyday locations into educational touchpoints. Banners were placed throughout the community with community non-profit partners that provide resources to residents. The campaign successfully highlighted how federal funds support vital improvements that benefit all residents, from youth to seniors. The Village’s efforts helped broaden public understanding of how CDBG funds strengthen neighborhoods, improve quality of life by investing in people and neighborhoods. Oak Park’s approach reflects a deep commitment to transparency, local stewardship and the power of community-driven development. Community Services Administrator Vanessa Matheny and Grants Coordinator Nick Meier will accept the award at the NCDA's upcoming annual conference in Salt Lake City.

Fleet Services Superintendent Ken Crowley was a featured speaker at the Green Drives Conference and Expo on May 8 at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute in Alsip. Green Drives – one of the largest clean-transportation conferences held in the Midwest – is an annual event for government officials, commercial and municipal fleet managers, corporate sustainability officers and clean-tech and clean-energy professionals who want to learn how to use cleaner, lower emissions fuels and technologies, while saving money. Ken discussed steps the Village is taking to make its vehicle fleet greener through the use of electric and hybrid vehicles and their supporting infrastructure. Click here to view a recording of Ken's presentation, which begins at about the 1 hour, 1 minute mark.

Starting June 1, the Village will place regulations on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, which include items like gummies, chips and snacks infused with Delta-8 THC, as well as products containing kratom. While these products are legal in the United States and are available for sale without regulation outside of Oak Park, Village regulations will include prohibiting the sale of these products to individuals under 21 years old, requiring the use of plain packaging and locating the products in a locked case or behind the counter. More information is available on the Village website at www.oak-park.us/thc.

With the use of gas-powered leaf blowers set to be permanently prohibited in Oak Park starting in June, the Village is partnering with local Ace Hardware stores to host a Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Trade-in Event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. Residents and registered landscape companies can receive savings on cleaner, quieter, battery-powered leaf blowers – available on a first-come, first-served basis at Olson's Ace Hardware (1137 Chicago Ave.) and PJ's Ace Hardware (7 Chicago Ave.). For details about leaf blower regulations in Oak Park, visit www.oak-park.us/leafblowers.

Village Hall will be closed on Monday, May 26 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. The Police Department’s Honor Guard will post the colors and offer a rile salute. Refuse and recycling collection will be delayed by one day next week as a result of the holiday. Should an incident that doesn't quite rise to the level of a 911 emergency occur when Village Hall is closed, residents may call the Police Department non-emergency number 708.386.3800 for assistance. 

Starting tonight, overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced on most Oak Park streets over Memorial Day weekend. Overnight on-street parking will be lifted at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24 and resume at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 28. 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 2025 is posted at www.oak-park.us/holidayparking.

Excitement is building for the 51st A Day in Our Village festival on Sun., June 1 in Scoville Park. Exhibitor registration closed earlier this month for the premier community event as organizers say capacity has been reached with more than 130 groups signed up to host activity booths representing ways to get involved with Oak Park civic, cultural, social service, educational and religious organizations. Live music, food and extensive activities for kids are a few of the highlights in store. The Park District of Oak Park is once again bringing its foam machine in a nod to A Day in Our Village tradition from previous decades. More information about A Day in Our Village is available at www.oak-park.us/dayinourvillage.

Beacon Auto Repair LLC is the owner of the new Meineke Car Care Center at 845 Madison St. Village representatives Cameron Davis and Noemy Diaz from the Development Services Department joined Greg Faulkner, Beacon and Meineke VP of Fleet Operations and Community Engagement, in celebrating the new location this week.  

If you have driven or walked down Marion Street recently in the Downtown Oak Park business district you may have noticed the beautiful new façade on the home of the future Gyumon Japanese BBQ restaurant at 118 N. Marion Street. In addition to the new façade, considerable progress has been made toward completing the massive interior renovations currently ongoing. Pictured here, in addition to the new exterior of the space, is a photo of the new bar/eating area being built inside the restaurant’s front door. Set to open in 2025, this all-you-can-eat restaurant will feature a selection of meats and vegetables that will be available for customers to roast at their individual tables on open cook tops, with Japanese sauces available for dipping.

The Jara Family, owners of the Breakfast House chain of restaurants, opened their Oak Park location at 138 N. Marion St. in the space previously occupied by Cozy Corner. The Village issued Breakfast House its business license and certificate of occupancy on May 14. The business, after previously obtaining its Oak Park liquor license, will now be submitting for its required State liquor license. Breakfast House joins Publican, Kyuramen and FARE as the latest in a group of successful small restaurant chains that started in Chicago before building their first location outside of the city here in Oak Park.

Longtime Oak Park Arts District business Laura Maychruk Real Estate, 911 S. Lombard Ave.., will host an art event from 1 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 6. The art show will also be open during the Arts District’s What’s Blooming Street Festival, which is taking place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 31 on Harrison Street. Artist Taylor Hopkins, whose work celebrates the “wild beauty of nature,” will be the subject of the June 6 art event. As always in the Arts District, there is an ever-abundant list of creative opportunities to enjoy.

The Village learned this week it was awarded $440,000 by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) as part of its Green Infrastructure Partnership program to help fund construction of 4 green alleys in 2026. Click here for map that shows the alley locations that will undergo construction thanks to the grant funding.

ComEd distribution conduit installation – Work continued on the ComEd conduit installation project for the USPS facility in Forest Park. Parkway restoration and sidewalk improvements are in progress on Randolph Street from Euclid Avenue to East Avenue and along East from Randolph to South Boulevard. Conduit installation began at the intersection of East and Harrison Street and will continue through next week up to Jackson Boulevard.

Bike boulevards – The contractor finished installing all of the rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) and cyclist push buttons. Crews are on track to complete the programming of the cyclist push buttons and RRFBs within a week. Removal and replacement of existing crosswalk signage and sidewalks is expected to begin the first week of June.

Pavement preservation – The annual pavement preservation project is postponed to the week of May 27. A map showing the proposed improvements is available on the Village’s capital improvement project website. All work is still expected to be completed by mid-July.

Alley improvements – Pavement removal began in the alley between the 100 blocks of N. Harvey Ave and N. Ridgeland Ave. The alley between the 500 blocks of S. East Ave and Scoville Ave. will be reopened by the end of this week. All sewer improvements are complete for alleys not within close vicinity to schools. The remaining sewer work will resume once summer break begins. All affected residents have received parking passes.