The Public Health Department added another community partner to its Opioid Overdose Prevention project this month, linking up with the Community Fridge Project to expand efforts to distribute Narcan throughout the community. Managed by the Community of Congregations and driven by the work of many volunteer teams, the Community Fridge Project aims to reduce food insecurity and provide food and other necessities to neighbors in need. In addition to pantry staples and fresh food, free opioid overdose prevention kits from the Public Health Department are now available in all fridge locations. During October, the first month of the partnership, more than 20 kits were distributed through the fridge project. The fridges join eight existing distribution boxes in Oak Park. Learn more about the Opioid Overdose Prevention project here.

The Public Health Department had a fantastic time representing the Village at the annual trunk or treat event hosted by the Park District of Oak Park on Oct. 23. Department staff dressed as surgeons and gave out candy and small toys from a life-sized Operation game table, complete with a light-up nose! More than 500 trunk-or-treaters came in costume to join the fun and visit local organizations’ displays to collect treats and celebrate the spooky season. The Public Health team is already looking forward to next year’s event!

Get ready for a spooky swarm of children in the streets of Oak Park this Halloween. The Village’s official hours for trick or treating are 3:30 to 8 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 31. Parents are urged to accompany young children, especially after dark, and inspect all treats. Police also are asking drivers to be extra cautious and watch for costumed pedestrians, particularly at intersections and along busy neighborhood streets. The Police Department will maintain a visible presence throughout the community to help ensure a safe holiday. Also, all costumed visitors at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market can visit the Market information tent for a sweet treat! Visit www.oak-park.us/halloween for more information about Halloween in Oak Park.

The Village and its third-party contractor M.E. Simpson are testing fire hydrants across Oak Park as part of a routine procedure that is expected to continue through the fall as temperatures allow. Residents on the same water line may notice cloudy water the first time a tap is opened after a nearby test. Officials say any cloudiness in the water should clear up if the tap is allowed to run for a few minutes. More information is at www.oak-park.us/HydrantTesting.

The Fire Department is participating in a long-term research project to evaluate how firefighting affects firefighter/paramedics' health, with a focus on cancer screening. Recently, the mobile laboratory of the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute, the organization conducting the study, visited the main fire station to collect samples from the volunteer participants. Media Production Manager Joe Kreml was on the scene and produced a video about the project – click here to watch the video. The goal in participating in this type of study is to contribute to research to improve safety across the state as well as provide the Village’s Firefighter/Paramedics with enhanced screening and early detection tools. Click here for more information about the study.

The Village’s Ad Hoc Housing Taskforce will hold its second meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6 in Room 201 at Village Hall. At its first meeting on Oct. 19, members of the taskforce reviewed the Village’s Strategic Vision for Housing and discussed Oak Park’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. Click here for more information about the taskforce.

Early voting is ongoing at Village Hall for the 2026 Gubernatorial Election. Suburban Cook County voters can cast a ballot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. Through Thursday, 5,232 ballots had been cast at Village Hall. For Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters are required to cast their ballot at their designated polling place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oak Park voters residing in precinct 15 who have traditionally cast ballots at the J.L. Hedges Administration Office are now assigned to vote at Village Hall on Election Day. Click here to find your Election Day polling place.

Don't miss Oak Park’s Día de los Muertos event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 1 at Scoville Park. Enjoy live dance, musical performances, food vendors, resources, ofrendas, sugar skulls, face painting and so much more during this festive event. Community members are also invited to celebrate Día de Muertos by visiting ofrenda displays that pay homage to loved ones who have passed away. Community organizers have created an online map highlighting where ofrendas are located within Oak Park and River Forest – click here to view the map.

Join the Village and its Oak Park Homelessness Coalition partners for a community forum on homelessness at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at the Oak Park Public Library Veterans Room. Learn more about coordinated local efforts, programs and resources to address homelessness and support individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Attendees will also have an opportunity to share feedback, ask questions and learn how they can get involved in building a stronger, more supportive community.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 1, and clocks should be set back one hour. The Oak Park Fire Department urges residents to use the time change as a reminder to test and replace the batteries on detectors that use alkaline batteries. Better yet, consider changing your alarms to one of the newer devices, which have both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in one device. These also contain a sealed 10-year battery, which costs a bit more upfront but saves money over the life of the alarm by eliminating battery replacement. State law now requires that any new smoke alarm being installed within a single or multi-family home feature a 10-year sealed battery.

For the second weekend in a row, the Holley Court garage will experience reduced electricity supply starting at 10 p.m. tonight (Oct. 30) through 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 due to ongoing ComEd utility work in the area. During this period, a backup generator will power the south elevator, staircase, access equipment and emergency lighting. Garage permit holders have been notified of the planned reduction in electricity by the Village’s Parking and Mobility Services Division.

Water and sewer project – The final layer of asphalt is expected to be installed and the remainder of the landscaping work completed by the end of this week on the 1000-1100 blocks of Scoville Ave. Pavement markings are expected to begin next week. At the project’s other site, another layer of asphalt was placed on the 1100-1200 blocks of N. Euclid Ave. Tack coat and longitudinal joint sealant are being placed in preparation for the final layer of asphalt to be installed. The contractor also finished adjusting all the manholes within the project limits. Also in progress is parkway grading in preparation for soil and sod placement set to begin next week.

Resurfacing project – All asphalt milling for the project is complete. Asphalt paving will continue throughout the next week for resurfacing streets and speed cushions. The remainder of the landscaping, signage installations and pavement marking installations are scheduled throughout the next three weeks.

Sidewalk project – The sidewalk contractor continues to make progress on angle cutting, with work focused in the southeast quadrant of town. The contractor will be working this Saturday morning. All angle cuts are expected to be completed by the week of Nov. 9.

Pavement preservation project – The contractor completed all the pavement patching on Austin Boulevard and all microsurfacing locations this week. The contractor will complete cleanup punchlist items over the next two weeks.

Sewer lining project – The sewer lining project will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 3 on Harrison Street between Clarence Avenue and East Avenue. Sewer lining is expected to take one day to complete per location. All other locations on the project are:

• Greenfield Street between Fair Oaks Avenue and Elmwood Avenue
• Greenfield between Lombard Avenue and Taylor Avenue
• Augusta Street between Belleforte Avenue and Forest Avenue
• Belleforte south of Augusta
• Home Avenue between Harrison Street and Jackson Boulevard
• Clinton Avenue between Harvard Street and Lexington Street
• Garfield Street between Highland Avenue and Harvey Avenue
• Garfield between Humphrey Avenue and Austin Boulevard

All locations are planned to be completed by Nov. 16. The contractor will return at the end of November to shotcrete the structures along the roadway in these locations.

Bike boulevards project – Signage installation will continue into next week. The contractor also anticipates beginning the installation of delineators next week. Some Bike Boulevard locations overlapped with other capital improvement projects. Now that the other projects are wrapping up, the striping contractor will also be back on site to complete the locations that were intentionally skipped.

Austin Boulevard resurfacing project – The City of Chicago’s contractor completed the concrete work on the east side of Austin Boulevard early this week and is now focusing on concrete work on the west side of Austin. The contractor also began asphalt patches on the east side of Austin, starting at I-290, working north towards Lake Street. Asphalt milling between Roosevelt Road and I-290 is anticipated to begin Nov. 9, weather dependent.