The many dimensions of Oak Park will be on display when the Fourth of July parade steps off at 10 a.m. this Saturday, July 4 from Longfellow Park at Ridgeland Avenue and Adams Street as the community commemorates the nation’s 250th birthday. Parade participants march north on Ridgeland Avenue to Augusta Street and disperse at Whittier School. The route offers many viewing opportunities along the way. This year's Grand Marshal is Emery Lehman, a four-time United States Olympian and Oak Park native. The Oak Park Police Department reminds residents that road closures near the parade route start as early as 8:30 a.m. Please observe all no parking signs and give yourself extra time to maneuver around the parade route. Find more information at www.oak-park.us/july4parade.

Village Hall will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day and will reopen at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 6. Refuse and recycling collection is not impacted and will occur like usual for the rest of this week. Should an incident that doesn't quite rise to the level of a 911 emergency occur when Village Hall is closed, residents are encouraged to call the Police non-emergency number 708.386.3800 for assistance. More information about Village Hall hours is posted online.

The Village is hosting a public meeting about the Home Avenue Pedestrian Bridge replacement over I-290 and the CTA Blue Line and CSX railroad. The open house is taking place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8 at the Oak Park Conservatory. Community members are invited to stop by anytime during the event to view project displays, learn about bridge alternatives, speak with the project team and share feedback. More information about the initiative is available at www.engageoakpark.com/homeavebridge.

The Village is asking local cycling and walking groups to pedal and walk to local businesses in a new campaign: Bike to the Biz. The campaign will include colorful signage and enhanced, clearly marked, convenient bike parking in special corrals north and south of the main Renew the Avenue construction area on Oak Park Avenue. The Hemingway Business District will launch and support a Bike to the Biz promotion that offers bikers and visitors a monthly way to win $250 in Biker Buck certificates redeemable at participating Hemingway District stores and eateries, plus at three Oak Park bike shops: Wheel & Sprocket, Bike Fix and Barnard’s Schwinn Cycling. The promotion kicked off July 1 and continues through Oct. 31. Click here for more details.

Renew the Avenue project – The electrical contractor continues installation of electrical and traffic signal conduit roadway crossings between Pleasant Street and South Boulevard on Oak Park Avenue. Installation of new light pole foundations are set to begin next week on this block. Other Renew the Avenue project updates include the following:

• The underground crew will continue water service transfers on the north block next week from North Boulevard to Lake Street. Once these buildings are all on the new main, the crew will decommission the old water mains on this block.
• The roadway crew continues its work next week between Pleasant and South Boulevard placing and grading stone and installing formwork for the new concrete roadway base course. The concrete placement for the roadway will begin next week for the southbound lane with the northbound lane to follow shortly after.
• Topsoil prep, sod installation and signage will be completed in the coming weeks on the outer blocks once the excessive heat temperatures dissipate.
• Union Pacific continues concrete abutment repairs to the bridge overpass between South and North Boulevards on Oak Park Avenue. This work is ongoing through mid-July.

Alley improvement project – The contractor is finalizing asphalt patches in the alley between the 1150 blocks of S. Oak Park Ave. and S. Grove Ave. This alley will be reopened to traffic before the weekend. The alley between the 800 blocks of N. Harvey Ave. and Mapleton Ave. and the alley between the 200 blocks of S. Grove Ave. and S. Kenilworth Ave. will begin pavement work early next week.

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installations – The contractor finished installing the bike push buttons this week. The bike buttons will be operable after the RRFBs are also installed. The RRFBs are powered by a solar panel on the top of the unit, and the bike buttons are connected to the adjacent RRFB with underground conduit and cable. In addition, all landscape restoration was completed this week.

Water and sewer project – The contractor installed the new water main from Rhem Park to Harvard Street before beginning sewer work on the 1000 block of Scoville Ave. This includes the installation of new manholes and sewer main and will continue on the 1100 block of Scoville next week.

Resurfacing project – The contractor will begin installing tree protection in addition to saw cutting in preparation for removals, which includes sidewalk, curb, gutter and pavement at all resurfacing locations next week. Removal operations will begin July 13 on Erie Street between Elmwood Avenue and Taylor Avenue and on Van Buren Street between East Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue. For this project, there are 22 total sewer repairs. The underground crew will begin work at the Augusta Street location between Harlem Avenue and Oak Park Avenue where there are four total repairs and at the Marion Street location between August Street and Division Street where there will be one repair.

Since launching 18 months ago, the E.C.H.O. team has engaged with 1,385 unique individuals, connecting residents to resources and support related to housing, homelessness, mental health, food insecurity, senior services and a wide range of other social service needs. What began as a program designed to strengthen community and public safety through partnerships with the Police and Fire departments has grown into something even more meaningful. The Oak Park community has shown just how deeply residents care for one another, with neighbors, family members, and friends regularly reaching out to ensure those around them have access to the support and services they need. Community members can explore available services and learn more about the resources being accessed through the Village’s E.C.H.O. Activity Dashboard. Whether you are looking for assistance for yourself or are concerned about a friend or neighbor, the E.C.H.O. team is here to help. To learn more about the program and available resources, visit the E.C.H.O. webpage or contact the team directly at echo@oak-park.us  or 708.358.5640.

The Police Department celebrated Michael Lambert's promotion to Commander and welcomed two new Patrol Officers on Monday. Commander Lambert has been with the Police Department since 2014 and most recently served as a Sergeant. The new officers are Efron Ramon and Antoni Turek, who will begin training at the police academy. Efron earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from the College of DuPage and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Antoni studied criminology and psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago. Meanwhile, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office welcomed Kimberly Henderson as the Village’s new Collective Impact Manager. Kimberly earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science from DePaul University, adding a Certification in DEI from Cornell University, additional professional certifications from McKinsey, DePaul in Multichannel Marketing, and DEI Communications from Ragan.

Village officials joined community members in celebrating the grand opening of the new Barnes & Noble bookstore at 1144 Lake St. Located in the historic Marshall Field’s building, the new Barnes & Noble offers nearly 24,000 square feet of books, gifts, games, a Barnes & Noble café and more. Visit www.oak-park.us/economicvitality for information about how the Village is working to help businesses find a home in Oak Park. And find information about bookstores and other businesses on the Pick Oak Park website at www.pickoakpark.com.

With temperatures and humidity pushing the heat index dangerously high this week, the Village is reminding residents to protect themselves and loved ones from the sometimes severe consequences of extreme heat. In messages shared across the Village’s communications channels, residents are encouraged to check on relatives, friends and neighbors who may be vulnerable to heat-related illnesses or not have access to air conditioning. Click here for information about local cooling centers and tips for staying safe in the heat. To reduce strain on the ComEd electric system and minimize the risk of widespread outages during the ongoing heat wave, residents are also urged to conserve electricity, especially between noon and 8 p.m., by limiting the use of major appliances, adjusting thermostats and turning off unnecessary lights. For the latest updates about power interruptions, visit www.ComEd.com or use the ComEd app.

In relation to an officer-involved shooting that occurred on May 31, the Village released footage this week from three body-worn cameras, one in-vehicle dashboard camera and two gas station security cameras. The footage may be disturbing or triggering for some viewers. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. More information is available at www.oak-park.us/bwc0531.

The Office of Communications and Engagement worked with the Public Health Department to publish a new page on the Village website this week that highlights actions community members can take to be safe as an e-bike rider or a driver sharing the road. Check it out at www.oak-park.us/EBikeSafety. The page will serve as a landing page for social media content developed by the Public Health Department that promotes e-bike safety and will be shared across the Village’s communications channels in the coming weeks. The Communications team also worked with the Office of Sustainability & Resilience to create a webpage with information about the Community Geothermal Planning Grant Project. Check it out at www.oak-park.us/geothermal.

The Oak Park Public Health Department is resuming its series of free in-person trainings on opioid overdose prevention and the use of Narcan nasal spray. The next training opportunity is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 at the Community Recreation Center. Click here to sign up to participate in the training. The 90-minute training is ideal for people who want to be ready to respond if they encounter a person experiencing a potential opioid overdose. The training covers harm reduction principles, signs and symptoms of opioid overdose, how Narcan works in the body, hands-on practice with Narcan nasal spray and time for questions and answers. Participants will also receive a free opioid overdose prevention kit to take home.

The Village's Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance requires buildings 10,000 square feet and larger to report energy and water usage in an effort to help building owners and managers improve energy efficiency. The Village's Office of Sustainability & Resilience is hosting a Benchmarking Data Jam from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7 in Room 101 at Village Hall. Find more information and a link to register at www.oak-park.us/datajam26.