The Village is rolling out a new look for its Pick Oak Park initiative as part of a broader push to encourage community members to shop local during the holiday season. During November and December, the Development Services Department is spearheading a campaign encouraging support for businesses throughout Oak Park’s 12 business districts. Shopping bags with the new Pick Oak Park logo will be available at Village Hall, the Village’s Economic Vitality Office at 1010 Lake St., the Oak Park Public Library’s main branch at 834 Lake St. and the Oak Park Township’s offices at 105 S. Oak Park Ave. The new look is also being incorporated into the Pick Oak Park website as well as the Pick Oak Park Facebook and Instagram pages, which will feature posts highlighting local shopping, dining and service options throughout the holiday shopping season as part of the campaign.

The Roosevelt Road Corridor Plan team is inviting the community to take a look at concepts and strategies for streetscape improvement, site development, economic vitality and more along Roosevelt Road. The Community Open House will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Fitzgeralds Nightclub, 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn.  Attendees will have an opportunity to provide feedback and guide the final phase of the plan. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Development Services staff recently joined the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce in celebrating the grand opening of Aire Serv, a new addition to the Roosevelt Road business corridor. Located at 6912 Roosevelt Rd., Aire Serv Oak Park specializes in heating, cooling and air quality service and innovative HVAC technology. Learn more about Aire Serv at www.aireserv.com.

The Development Services and Economic Vitality teams joined the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce in celebrating FARE’s grand opening Thursday. The Chicago-based, family-owned fast-casual restaurant is known for its seasonal bowls, plates and plant-friendly meals. Oak Park is its first suburban location at 1000 Lake St. Stop by for some smart dietary-friendly options in a modern, relaxed setting in the heart of the Lake Street corridor. Visit www.foodbyfare.com for more information.

A new dining option arrived with the recent opening of Guymon Japanese BBQ. Located at 118 N. Marion St. in Downtown Oak Park, the space underwent a significant interior renovation and features a new façade. The all-you-can-eat restaurant features a selection of meats and vegetables available for customers to roast at their individual tables on open cook tops, with Japanese sauces available for dipping.

The Development Services Department hosted the first of two seminars this past week focusing on significant changes to the International Building Codes, which go into effect in Oak Park in 2026. Architects, contractors and members of the public who missed the first seminar are invited to attend the Residential Code Seminar taking place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12 in Council Chambers at Village Hall. Village officials will discuss the fundamentals of the adopted codes and answer questions. Refreshments will be provided.

The Public Health Department is participating in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ efforts to encourage residents to get vaccinated this season. As part of the HHS "Risk Less. Do More." campaign, co-branded advertisements will appear in local Pace Bus shelters beginning on Nov. 10.  The ads will also be on the CTA Green Line platform at its Oak Park Avenue station. This disease prevention program is funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The Village's Office of Sustainability & Resilience is hosting a Benchmarking Data Jam from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17 in the small meeting room at the Oak Park Public Library. During this hands-on workshop, building owners and managers will learn how to set up a free account in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, how to set up a building profile, how to collect and enter monthly energy and water use data for an entire building, and how to share data to comply with the Village of Oak Park's Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance. Find more information and a link to register at www.oak-park.us/datajam1125.

The Development Services Department welcomed Jamin Townsley as the new Building Inspector in the Permits & Development Division. Jamin spent almost 20 years as a Director of Photography for cable TV shows, then transitioned to building sets and props for “Donkey Hodie” on PBS Kids. He said his love for the construction trades and buildings led him to apply for the Building Inspector position.

The Citizen Involvement Commission (CIC) hosted a special event on Wednesday evening to celebrate the dedicated service of Oak Park’s advisory board, commission and committee members. Held in the Sky Lounge at Albion Oak Park, the celebration was an expression of gratitude for the leadership, time and commitment to civic engagement given by so many community members.

Street resurfacing – Weather permitting, the remaining streets undergoing work as part of this year’s resurfacing project will be paved this week. Pavement marking installations are expected to begin next week, with signage to follow.

ComEd fiber installation – ComEd’s contractor will be removing the asphalt on Randolph Street this Saturday, Nov. 8. There will be no parking on Randolph from Chestnut Lane to Oak Park Avenue during this operation. The contractor will complete paving next week working limited hours to avoid pick-up and drop-off time at Brooks Middle School. Parking restrictions will be posted in advance of paving operations and affected permit holders will be contacted by the Village. Pavement markings will follow and conclude the project.

Bridge repairs – The fence repairs on the Oak Park Avenue bridge are complete. Asphalt patching at the Oak Park Avenue and Lombard Avenue bridges and punch list items remain to be completed.

Sidewalk improvements – The contractor will be completing punch list items, including concrete work and miscellaneous cleaning and restoration next week.