With the goal of reducing the chances of backups during heavy rain, the Village is encouraging property owners to disconnect their gutter downspouts from the municipal sewer system.
Storm water from roof gutters is not a problem on normal flow days with minimal precipitation. However, during heavy...
With the goal of decreasing the amount of organic refuse sent to landfills, the Village offers food scrap composting services to residents throughout the community. The cost is $14 per month, which is about the same as recycling one bag of yard waste per week under the current Village yard waste...
Take a walk through downtown Oak Park while enjoying 12 pieces of art from established sculptors and emerging newcomers.
The 12 sites are located within a four-block radius in pedestrian-friendly sites among the restaurants and retails stores in downtown Oak Park. Visitors are encouraged to pick up...
If you park along South Boulevard between Austin Boulevard and Harlem Avenue, Parking Services wants to know what you think of the new signs. The Village is testing signs designed to be clearer and more user friendly, with the focus on providing information to individuals other than permit holders...
When severe weather brings down power lines, public safety personnel urge residents to be aware of the danger. Their advice — always assume power lines are live, since even momentary contact with a live power line can injure or kill. If a power line comes down, ideally, a firefighter or police...
The Fire Department offers child safety seat inspections. Parents of young children should email carseat@oak-park.us to schedule an inspection.
Parents will need to bring their vehicle owner’s manual and car seat manufacturer’s manual along with the seat they wish to have inspected. Residents are...
When it comes to citizen involvement in the process of making public policy, few communities can match the number of opportunities offered by the Village of Oak Park. More than 150 volunteers serving on 19 separate boards, commissions and committees advise the Village Board on a wide range of...
Residents are invited to recycle old electronics the last Saturday of the month through October. Just drop off items from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd.
Acceptable items include computers, peripherals, laptops, monitors, TVs, cell phones, rechargeable batteries,...
Envision Oak Park, the process to update the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, is moving closer to a draft for public review. Work that began as discussions of broad concepts, moved to a close examination of key issues and then drilled down into the 11 quality-of-life topics distilled from nearly 40...
An exhibit in the Oak Park Conservatory through August 28 invites young Oak Parkers to put their detective skills to use to discover if it is possible to know what an animal eats just by looking at its teeth. Organized by the Purdue Agriculture Exhibit Design Center, the exhibit, designed to appeal...
Down payment assistance…Working to make home ownership more affordable, the West Cook County Housing Collaborative is offering $10,000 in down payment assistance for select updated and rehabbed homes in the area. The collaborative is a partnership created by Bellwood, Berwyn, Forest Park, Maywood...
Village property inspectors are continually checking single-family homes and apartment buildings for code violations to ensure public safety and community aesthetics as part of the Neighborhood Walk Program. For nuisance violations such as garbage, debris and overgrown vegetation, inspectors will...
Oak Parkers with special needs who would like to modify their homes to make them more accessible are invited to apply for a forgivable loan of up to $15,000. Applicants must have a physical or age-related impairment that requires modifications such as ramps, lifts or handrails. The modifications...
Nominations are being sought for Green Awards, a program created to recognize specific deeds or actions that embody and advance work toward a sustainable future. Nominations may be submitted by anyone on behalf of anyone. A nomination form is posted at www.oak-park.us. The nomination deadline is...
Property managers, owners and condo boards interested in creating smoke-free buildings can find help from the Oak Park Department of Public Health. Thanks to a state grant, local public health officials have created a range of materials on how to transition to a smoke-free property. Information...
As part of the interstate compact for preserving the Great Lakes, summer watering restrictions are in effect May 15 through Sept. 15. Outdoor water use is limited Monday through Friday to even-numbered street addresses on even-numbered days, and to odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered days. Newly...
Residents who leave their windows and patio doors open overnight to catch a summer evening breeze could unwittingly become targets of burglars who cruise neighborhoods looking for just such opportunities. Oak Park Police urge residents to use devices that prevent entry by limiting travel of the...
Oak Park residents can opt out of door-to-door solicitations by posting a no solicitor door sticker available free from the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Commercial solicitors and peddlers may solicit from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturday, except holidays....
As temperatures rise, so does the threat of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus. The best defense is to reduce the chances of mosquito bites. Recommended steps include limiting time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn, wearing long sleeves and pants, and applying insect repellent containing DEET,...
Visitors to the recently renovated Scoville Park at Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue can stay connected with free Wi-Fi, thanks to the collaboration of the Oak Park Public Library and the Park District.Tablet and smart phone users can check their device settings to find scovillepark and access the...
August 30 is the deadline to nominate an Oak Park Property for a 2013 Historic Preservation Award. Nominations also are being sought for projects that address both historic preservation and sustainability issues.
Single-family residences, apartment buildings, commercial buildings, public/...
Every Oak Park resident who owns or leases a vehicle is required to purchase and display a vehicle sticker annually by midnight, July 15. Anyone who misses the deadline must purchase a sticker and pay a $20 late fee. Failure to display a valid Village sticker by the deadline also may result in a $...
