The Village was honored with the 2025 Euna Rising Star Award during this week’s Eunaverse Conference in Orlando, Fla. Assistant to the Village Manager Jack Malec, Community Services Administrator Vanessa Matheny and Administrative Officer Noemy Diaz represented the Village and accepted the award, which highlights the Village’s successful implementation of the Amplifund platform in 2024. The Amplifund platform has helped streamline grant management and procurement processes across Village departments. By embracing digital transformation, the Village continues to advance operational efficiency and accountability while driving positive outcomes for both the organization and the Oak Park community it serves.

The Office of Sustainability and Resilience partnered with the Oak Park Public Library and Climate Outreach to Oak Park (COOP) to host the Climate Ready Oak Park Progress Report & Community Conversation on Sept. 4. Fifty community members attended. Partner organizations shared updates, Chief Sustainability Officer Lindsey Nieratka gave a quick overview of the Village’s work and participants had an opportunity to discuss their priorities for the next few years at their tables. At the end of the session, participants were asked to share what a sustainable community means to them and how they felt after the event. In both cases “connected” rose to the top!

The Village’s Economic Vitality team has been busy mingling with local business owners and residents at several events over the past week. Economic Vitality staff helped celebrate ribbon cuttings for the new Wing Snob restaurant at 7115 W. North Ave. (pictured left) and the Oak Park IL Film Festival (pictured above) ahead of the opening night gala Thursday at the Lake Theatre. The film festival continues Saturday and Sunday at the Madison Street Theater. The Economic Vitality team also attended the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce’s First Fridays event in the Southtown District, a Chamber of Commerce After Hours event at Café Cubano on Wednesday and a Hemingway District after hours event at Citrine on Thursday. 

For the second year in a row, the Village is joining communities around the globe in celebrating Park(ing) Day and transforming on-street parking spaces into temporary green spaces to showcase sustainability and economic vitality while advocating for safer, greener and more equitable streets. Stop by between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 as three parking spaces in front of 127 N. Marion St. in Downtown Oak Park will be repurposed into a temporary, park-like community gathering spot. The Village’s Parking and Mobility Services will be coordinating the Park(ing)Palooza fun with refreshments, music, fun activities, giveaways and more. Find more information at www.oak-park.us/ParkingPalooza.

Local health officials are looking to hear from community members as the Oak Park Public Health Department works this fall on a community health assessment and plan (known as the IPLAN). Sharing how you engage in community events, programming and with each other will help Public Health Department staff and stakeholders prioritize health issues in Oak Park and plan to address community needs. Click here to take the survey.

Savannah Reinhart showed off her baking skills by taking first place at the seventh annual Pie Bake-Off at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market on Sept. 6. Savannah, who joined the Fire Department earlier this year as a Firefighter/Paramedic, won the top prize for her creation titled “Midnight Orchard Pie.” The blackberry-orange pie with almond crumble and honey glaze featured ingredients from Market vendors Severson Organic Grain, Barry’s Berries and Three Bees Honey. Second place went to “Orchard Croute d’Or” by Dana Stinnett, and third place was awarded to “Cozy in a Crust Homity Pie” by Margaret Dunham. Twelve bakers participated in the event, and after the contest extra pie was given away to Market patrons as samples. The first-place winner not only receives bragging rights and a commemorative pie plate but will also be invited to judge next year’s competition. The recipes for the top three pies are posted at www.oak-park.us/piebakeoff.

The Office of Economic Vitality welcomed Cindy Hansen as its Office Coordinator this week. Cindy transferred to the new role after previously serving as the Deputy Village Clerk and as an Administrative Assistant within the Public Health Department. An Oak Park resident, Cindy is excited to join the Economic Vitality team and support new business growth and development in the community.  Elsewhere, Zaid Sayes is the newest worker in the Public Works Department’s Water & Sewer Division. He arrives with several relevant certifications, including certification in trenching and shoring and as a flagger.

The sixth annual Tour de Proviso is set to roll through Oak Park on Saturday, Oct. 4. This free annual bike ride is organized in partnership with Best of Proviso Township as it promotes health and wellness throughout Proviso Township and its neighboring villages. The ride begins and ends at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Visit www.oak-park.us/tdp25 for the link to register as a participant and complete details about the event, including maps of the 20-mile and 7-mile route options. All riders who sign up by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14 will receive a 2025 Tour de Proviso t-shirt and participation medal. This year’s ride is co-hosted by the Village of Oak Park, Village of Forest Park and Village of River Forest.

The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township (CMHB) is seeking an Oak Park resident who is passionate about mental health, substance use and intellectual/developmental (I/DD) treatment to join its governing board. CMHB is a branch of Oak Park Township that assists in planning, developing, coordinating, evaluating and funding behavioral health services in Oak Park. CMHB is comprised of nine residents appointed by the Township Supervisor. Interested parties can learn more about CMHB by clicking here and submit an application through this Google form. Hardcopies of the application can be downloaded by clicking here and either emailed to cpotts@cmhb-oakpark.org or mailed to CMHB 229 Madison St., 2nd Fl. Oak Park, IL 60302.

Everyone can tap into the benefits of solar energy. No roof? No problem. Residents with a ComEd account can get electricity from the sun – and save money on their electricity bill – with community solar. Learn about community solar, how it saves money, how to pick a community solar provider, and how to sign up during Solar is for Everyone! – a free webinar taking place from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. The event is being coordinated by the Oak Park Climate Action Network as part of Sun Day, a national day of celebration of the power of the sun. Register to attend at www.opcan.org/communitysolar.

ComEd fiber installation – ComEd completed the construction on the first phase of its project to install a fiber optic cable on Randolph Street between Oak Park Avenue and Chestnut Lane. With cable now installed between Chestnut and Home Avenue, the project will continue to move east to the block between Home and Clinton Avenue.  The contractor expects the entire project to be completed by the end of October.

Bridge repairs move to Lombard Avenue – The contractor started installing protective shielding on the underside of the Lombard Avenue and Oak Park Avenue bridges in preparation for repairs on the bridge decks. Work on the Lombard Avenue bridge is underway, and there will be a full closure of the bridge for two weeks through Sept. 26. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Ridgeland Avenue and southbound traffic will be detoured to Austin Boulevard during this closure. Pedestrian access on at least one side of the sidewalk will remain throughout the project. Access to the Austin CTA Blue Line station is expected to be uninterrupted for pedestrians. The work on Lombard largely consists of concrete patching of sidewalks, curbs and bridge deck, as well as asphalt patching and joint replacements. Due to the nature of the repairs, at times there will be no active work on the bridge while the contractor allows the concrete to cure. Oak Park Avenue bridge repairs will follow, with a start date to be determined. No road closures will be needed for the repairs on Oak Park Avenue. All repairs on the East Avenue bridge were completed last week.

Water and sewer improvements – The contractor continued removing and replacing curbs and sidewalks on Forest Avenue this week. The plumber hired by the general contractor is onsite replacing lead water services. The new bump outs at Berkshire Avenue and Greenfield Street will likely be poured late this week or early next week. Full depth pavement removal is tentatively scheduled for the week of Sept. 22. On Columbian Avenue, the contractor is continuing to remove existing road base, place geotextile fabric and place stone base. This work is anticipated to wrap up next week. Paving is expected to begin the week of Sept. 22.

Bike boulevards – Two pavement marking crews are continuing to work along Harvey Avenue, Hayes Avenue, Fair Oaks Avenue and Elmwood Avenue this week. The contactor will continue to install green intersection bike markings once supplies are replenished. Bike boulevard signage installations are on hold until products are in hand.

Street resurfacing – The debris on Scoville Avenue at the intersections with Erie Street and Superior Street was removed Thursday. Storm sewer work on Thomas Street is underway and will continue into next week. Storm sewer work on Scoville, Linden Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue will follow the work on Thomas. Concrete pouring will follow the underground work.

Sidewalk improvements – The contractor is performing sidewalk angle cutting on Marion Street, Woodbine Avenue, Kenilworth Avenue, Grove Avenue and Oak Park Avenue. Crews will continue their progress in the northwest quadrant of the Village next week. Sidewalk removals are expected to begin Monday, Sept. 15. Residents should keep an eye out for “No Parking” signs, as they will be the greatest indication of work beginning near their home.