The Oak Park Public Health Department is seeking input on its community health plan, also known as the IPLAN. Every five years, the department works with community partners and health data to identify health priorities and recommendations for improving public health for everyone who grows up, lives, works and ages in Oak Park. Health equity is the overarching goal of the plan, and recommendations and strategies focus on upstream issues including housing, access to greenspace and navigating local health systems. Community members are encouraged to learn more and share their opinion at www.engageoakpark.com/IPLAN-2026.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) recently approved Low Income Housing Tax Credit funding and Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit funding for the Keystone Apartments project, marking a major milestone for the affordable housing development planned for 1106 Madison St. in Oak Park. The two tax credits, one federal and one state, will generate more than $12 million of the capital costs for the almost $17 million project. Find more information at www.oak-park.us/keystone26.

The Office of Sustainability and Resiliency helped plan an in-person convening of the Illinois Sustainability Staff Network at the Climate Action Museum in Chicago at the end of June. Staff from around the Chicago area met to discuss their successes over the last year, lessons learned and what they are working on in the coming months. These meetings are opportunities to find ways to work together and learn from each other to better advance sustainability throughout the region

The Hemingway District invites residents and visitors to celebrate Ernest Hemingway's birthday during a three-day festival, The Fun Also Rises, taking place Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19. Inspired by the 100th anniversary of Hemingway's iconic novel "The Sun Also Rises," the weekend combines literature, live music, family activities, outdoor dining and local shopping into a community-wide celebration of Oak Park's literary heritage. Throughout the weekend, businesses throughout the Hemingway District will feature special promotions, outdoor dining, live entertainment and interactive activities that encourage visitors to explore one of Oak Park's most unique commercial districts. Click here for complete details available on the Hemingway District website.

More than 60 groups participated in Oak Park’s annual Fourth of July parade along Ridgeland Avenue last Saturday as the community commemorated the nation’s 250th birthday. Grand Marshal Emery Lehman, a four-time United States Olympian and Oak Park native, helped lead the way aboard one of two floats for Village staff and elected officials. The parade is organized by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office and involves support from throughout the organization, with the Public Works and Police departments providing critical assistance the day of the event.

Village staff and consultants met with community members about the Home Avenue pedestrian bridge replacement during an open house on Wednesday at the Oak Park Conservatory. Residents were able to view project displays, speak with the project team and weigh in on three bridge design concepts. Anyone who was unable to attend the open house can view the presentation materials, watch video renderings of the bridge concepts and provide feedback at www.engageoakpark.com/homeavebridge. Feedback submitted by July 22 will be included as part of the public meeting summary.

Fire Chief J.T. Terry and Deputy Chief Robert Murphy joined Chief Communications Officer Dan Yopchick for an in-depth discussion about the Fire Department in the latest edition of the Inside Oak Park podcast. Tune in to hear about what a typical day looks like for Oak Park firefighter/paramedics and how the Fire Department is evolving to meet the changing needs of the community. Listen to the podcast on Spotify or at www.oak-park.us/podcast.

The Finance Department welcomed Jean Oliveras as its new Comptroller this week. As part of a military and Foreign Service family, she spent much of the past 15 years living overseas. Jean earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. She is also a licensed CPA.

Every Oak Park resident who owns or leases a motor vehicle is required to purchase a local vehicle license before July 15 to get the lowest rate, which increases by $20 after the deadline. Purchase and renew online at www.oak-park.us/ParkingPortal. Maintaining a current vehicle license helps avoid citations and provides other important benefits for residents, including eligibility to purchase residential parking permits/passes and daytime parking restriction overrides based on your registered address. Vehicle license rates vary by type of vehicle, with discounts for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and active-duty military. For more information, visit www.oak-park.us/vehiclelicense, call 708.358.7275 or email parking@oak-park.us.

Oak Park residents who notice parking concerns such as ongoing violations, blocked access or abandoned vehicles are encouraged to let the Village’s Parking Enforcement team know about the issues by emailing parkingenforcement@oak-park.us. Parking officials ask that community members include the location, time and a brief description of the issue. Photos are helpful but not required. Parking officials say that every report contributes to a better understanding of community needs and helps guide enforcement efforts where they’re needed most. While response times may vary, community input plays an important role in supporting a well-managed parking system. For more information about parking enforcement in Oak Park, visit www.oak-park.us/parkingenforcement.

Water and sewer project – The new sewer main on the 1000 block of Scoville Ave has been installed. The contractor is working on grading the soil in Rehm Park to restore the disturbed area. The Park District will follow up this work with landscaping. Sewer main installations will continue into next week on the 1100 block.

Renew the Avenue project – The underground crew is completing water service transfers on the north block this week from North Boulevard to Lake Street. Next week the crew will make the final water main connections and retire the old mains between North Boulevard and Lake on Oak Park Avenue. Other Renew the Avenue project updates include the following:

• The roadway crew will be framing and pouring the new roadway concrete base course between Pleasant Street and South Boulevard over the next week. The crew will also install concrete roadway patches later next week along South Boulevard for all the new water and sewer utility trenches.
• The electrical contractor continues installation of electrical and traffic signal conduit roadway crossings at South Boulevard on Oak Park Avenue with new light pole foundations to begin later next week on Oak Park Avenue between Pleasant Street and South Boulevard.
• Union Pacific has completed two out of the four large concrete abutment repairs on the bridge overpass between South and North Boulevards on Oak Park Avenue. Union Pacific crews will be placing the concrete for the third repair area next week as the form work for this section will be completed in the coming days.
• Don’t forget to check out the Village of Oak Park and Hemmingway District’s new Bike to the Biz promotion.

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installations – The RRFBs at the intersections of Oak Park Avenue & Fillmore Street, Ridgeland Avenue & Fillmore and Ridgeland & Van Buren Street have been installed. The units are not currently connected for use, as they are pending signage installation. After all signs are installed, the underground cable will be connected to the bike buttons, and all RRFB buttons will be operable.

Resurfacing project – The contractor will begin installing tree protection next week in addition to saw cutting in preparation for removals of sidewalk, curb, gutter and pavement at all resurfacing locations. Removal operations will begin July 13 on Erie Street between Elmwood Avenue and Taylor Avenue and Van Buren Street between East Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue. The first of four sewer repairs on Augusta Street between Harlem Avenue and Oak Park Avenue and one repair near the intersection of Marion Street and Thomas Street intersection will also begin next week.

Alley improvement project – The alley between the 1150 blocks of S. Oak Park Ave. and S. Grove Ave. was completed and reopened to traffic. Removals began in the alley between the 200 blocks of S. Kenilworth Ave. and S. Grove and are expected to be completed by Wednesday next week. Removals in the alley between the 800 blocks of N. Harvey Ave. and Mapleton Ave. will begin after the contractor has completed the removals in the alley between Kenilworth and Grove. Miscellaneous alley patching will also begin next week, starting with asphalt alley patches.