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May 1, 2026

Civic Engagement Festival this Sunday

Don’t miss the second annual Civic Engagement Festival from noon to 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 3 at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Held in celebration of Public Service Recognition Week and Professional Municipal Clerks Week, this free, family-friendly event coordinated by the Village Clerk's Office brings together residents, community partners and local leaders for an afternoon of learning, connection and fun. The festival will feature a resource fair, live entertainment, food trucks, a moderated discussion about "Your Voice, Your Vote" with Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon and more. Find complete details, including a schedule of activities, at www.oak-park.us/CivicEngagementFestival.

Electronic waste recycling
event set for May 9

Save the date for the Village’s next electronic recycling drop-off event on Saturday, May 9 at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. Due to strict regulations on collecting and processing these materials, residents are required to register for a time slot between 9 a.m. and noon and identify their electronic waste items in advance. Click here to sign up for a time slot. There is a limit of seven items per household, and within that there is a limit of two televisions and/or computer monitors. The recycling drop-off event is for Oak Park residents only and is particularly intended for residents in large multifamily buildings. Residents in single-family homes and buildings with up to five units served by the Village’s waste hauling contract can also schedule an E-Waste Pickup from their home by filling out the form at www.lrsrecycles.com/oakpark.

National Small Business Week
event series planned

The Village is celebrating National Small Business Week by co-hosting a week of free programming from May 4-7 designed to support the evolving needs of our local small business community. Organized in partnership with the Oak Park–River Forest Chamber of Commerce and the Brennan School of Business at Dominican University, the events are free and open to the public. The series features panels and open houses on topics including resources for women- and minority-owned businesses, small business funding and finance, starting a business in Oak Park and university research and entrepreneurship resources. Find more details and registration for individual events on the Chamber of Commerce website. Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Local small business owners looking to discuss their business and available resources can also reach out to the Village’s Office of Economic Vitality at economicvitality@oak-park.us.

Renew the Avenue project focus of latest podcast episode

The Renew the Avenue project is the focus of the latest episode of the Village’s Inside Oak Park podcast. Hear Village Engineer Bill McKenna and project manager Brian Racine discuss construction timelines as crews work to replace 100-plus-year-old water and sewer infrastructure along Oak Park Avenue before making streetscape upgrades. Also, hear Hemingway District Business Association President Moses Valdez and Business Services Manager Noemy Diaz discuss the importance of ongoing support for the business community during the transformation. Check out the podcast on Spotify or at www.oak-park.us/podcast. For all the latest updates related to the Renew the Avenue project, visit www.renewtheavenue.com.

Celebrating centenarians in Oak Park

The Village continues to celebrate centenarians as a way of highlighting these extraordinary residents who age within the community. This spring, the Village is recognizing 104-year-old Herta Lisicic. Born in Poland in March 1922, Herta grew up in a German household before World War II reshaped the course of her life. Read about her immigration story and her lifetime of resilience, cultural heritage and community involvement at www.oak-park.us/Lisicic. If you know an Oak Parker who is 100 or will soon reach the milestone, let us know by completing the online form at www.oak-park.us/100.

Home rehab loans available

Helping homeowners pay for needed repairs they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford is what the Village’s single-family rehab loan program is all about. The rehab program offers loans of up to $25,000 to correct health and safety issues and building code violations, such as broken pipes, a leaking roof, lead paint, crumbling entry stairs, dangerous electrical systems and accessibility obstacles. No monthly payments are required, and loans don’t have to be repaid for 20 years or until the property is transferred. Grants do not have to be repaid. Eligibility is determined by federal income limits. Find more information at www.oak-park.us/rehabloans. Residents can also email housing@oak-park.us or call 708.358.5410 to learn more.