Meetings scheduled for next week:
- Monday, April 20:
- Citizen Police Oversight Committee, 7 p.m. in Room 124
- Tuesday, April 21:
- Village Board meeting, 7 p.m. in Room in Council Chambers
- Thursday, April 23:
- Historic Preservation Commission, 7 p.m. in Council Chambers
- Friday, April 24:
The Village recently celebrated the completion of the inaugural cohort of Oak Park University (OPU), a nine-week program focused on local government. The first cohort concluded on April 6 with a ceremony recognizing participants for completing the program. A total of 30 residents participated, demonstrating strong engagement and commitment throughout. OPU graduates are encouraged to apply what they learned by staying involved in the community, whether through volunteering, serving on boards and commissions, organizing neighborhood groups or engaging with Village services. The Village extends its sincere appreciation to staff and community partners who brought the program to life by sharing their expertise and resources. Residents interested in future cohorts are encouraged to visit www.oak-park.us/OPU to explore the 2026 program content and join the waitlist.
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Oak Parkers are invited to safely dispose of sensitive documents and foam products with the No. 6 symbol at a free paper shredding and foam recycling event scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, April 18 at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. Residents will be able to drop off foam products with the No. 6 symbol, which are not accepted as part of the Village's single-stream recycling program. Please collect foam products in a clear, translucent bag. For paper shredding, each household can bring two bags or small boxes of paper items with personal information such as canceled checks and documents containing credit card numbers, social security numbers and medical information. More information is at www.oak-park.us/shredding426.
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The entire community is invited to the Village’s second annual Arab American Heritage Month Celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 18 in the courtyard at Village Hall. Join us as we celebrate Arab American culture with food, music and stories that bring the community together in a fun, joyful vibe. Anyone planning to attend is encouraged to RSVP so event organizers can get an idea of the expected crowd and plan accordingly – click here to RSVP. Find more information about the event at www.oak-park.us/AAHM26.
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The Office of Economic Vitality invites booklovers of all ages to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25, with Oak Park’s six independently owned booksellers:
Next week, the Village will be highlighting each of these businesses individually on its Pick Oak Park social media pages leading up to Independent Bookstore Day. Be sure to browse Pick Oak Park on Facebook and Instagram next week to support these one-of-a-kind merchants. Find more information about the initiative at www.oak-park.us/bookstore26.
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The Office of Economic Vitality, in partnership with the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce and Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business, is launching a week of free programming from May 4-7 for National Small Business Week designed to support the evolving needs of our local small business community. Local and national experts will share insights and connect local business owners to resources that support their continued vitality and growth. Daily panels include Resources for Women & Minority Business Enterprises, Small Business Funding & Finance, Starting a New Business in Oak Park, and Resources for Small Businesses at Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business. Find more details and registration for individual events on the Chamber website at www.oprfchamber.org/national-small-business-week. Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Local small business owners looking to discuss their business and available resources can also reach out to economicvitality@oak-park.us.
The Office of Sustainability & Resilience is promoting a series of Earth Week special events and activities focused on sustainability:
For a complete list of upcoming sustainability events, visit www.oak-park.us/sustainabilityevents.
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The Village’s E.C.H.O. team visited residents at the Oak Park Arms Senior Living Community this week to share information about the E.C.H.O. program. Care Coordinator Kimberly Smith presented a range of local community resources that support physical and emotional wellness, social engagement, safety and financial assistance. Following the presentation, she met with several residents individually to answer questions and provide guidance on how to connect with available services.
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The Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 10th annual Community Health and Wellness Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday, April 19 at FFC Oak Park, 1114 Lake St. The Oak Park Public Health Department and the Village’s E.C.H.O. team will be among more than 60 local health and wellness organizations showcased at the event. Stop by and meet staff members who will be on hand sharing information about public health services and how the E.C.H.O. program enhances public safety in Oak Park. Click here to register for the free event in advance.
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The Public Health Department will be joining several community partners, including the West Side Opioid Task Force, next Wednesday for an afternoon of harm reduction outreach near the CTA Green Line Harlem stop. Along with Live4Lali, the Way Back Inn and other members of the taskforce, public health officials will be sharing resources like Narcan pouches and sharps disposal containers with the community. In addition to the eight Narcan boxes throughout Oak Park maintained by the Public Health Department, there is a free Narcan vending machine at the Harlem Green Line stop. Find more information about opioid overdose prevention in Oak Park at www.oak-park.us/overdoseprevition.
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Hundreds joined in the Hemingway District Block Party last Saturday as kids played in a huge sandbox, community members got their construction questions answered, and everyone enjoyed entertainment by School of Rock. The Village helped sponsor the construction-themed event as part of its efforts to support businesses during the Renew the Avenue construction project. Click here for a gallery of photos from the event.
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About 100 community members joined in Oak Park’s third annual celebration of Holi: A Festival of Colors last Saturday on the south lawn at Village Hall. The event – which was coordinated by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office with help from a volunteer event committee – featured music, dancing, delicious south Asian food and traditional color throwing. Click here for a gallery of photos from the event.
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Oak Park residents interested in knowing about the quality of the water they drink can find the latest annual report at www.oak-park.us/water-quality-report. Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires communities to provide details on the quality of the local drinking water. In addition to analysis results for regulated and unregulated substances in the water, the 2026 report posted this week also includes facts about the community’s drinking water delivery system and source. An archive of past water quality reports is posted at www.oak-park.us/waterquality. For more information about Oak Park’s drinking water or to request a paper copy of the annual water report, call 708.358.5700 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.
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Public Works Management Analyst Linda DeViller is sharing her artistic talents with the community as her paintings are on display this spring in The Gallery at Village Hall. Linda’s artwork explores the interaction of color, movement and rhythm through layering of glazes, imagery and line work. Traditionally a painter on canvas, her current body of work is mixed media on paper. The various displays of art that appear throughout the year in The Gallery are coordinated by the Oak Park Area Arts Council.
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Alley improvement project – Sewer Improvements are complete in the alley between the 900 blocks of Hayes Ave. and N. Taylor Ave. Sewer work began in the alley between the 300 blocks of S. Lombard Ave. and S. Taylor Ave. began this week. Starting next Monday, sewer improvements in the alley between the 200 blocks of Wesley Ave. and S. East Ave. are planned to begin. Earth excavation and pavement removal will continue in the L-shaped alley between Humphrey Avenue, Austin Boulevard, Erie Street and Superior Street.
Renew the Avenue update – The electrical contractor continues work installing the new underground electrical conduit and foundations this week for the new streetlights on Oak Park Avenue from Lake Street to Ontario Street. The north crew completed the sewer main between North Boulevard and Lake while the south crew completed the sewer main between Pleasant Street and South Boulevard. The crews will continue installing sewer services on both blocks through the end of next week. Nicor & ComEd have completed their utility upgrades within the project limits. AT&T is onsite for the next few weeks installing new utility vaults on Oak Park Avenue as part of its infrastructure upgrades.
RRFB installations – The contractor continued installing the foundations for the rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs) and bike push buttons at locations across Oak Park this week. These installations will continue into next week.
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The Collaboration for Early Childhood's Baby Expo is a free community event connecting families, from pregnancy through baby's first year, with trusted local resources. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, April 18 at Roosevelt Middle School, 2500 Oak St. in Bellwood. Because it truly takes a village to raise a child, partners, co-parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older kids, and friends are all welcome to come along. With more than 20 local organizations in attendance at the resource fair, and short workshops covering car seat safety, cloth diapering, infant CPR and more, this event is especially valuable for families navigating pregnancy, postpartum life and early infant development. Registration to attend is not required but is encouraged.
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