An aggressive water system improvement program underway in the City of Chicago means that communities like Oak Park that rely on Lake Michigan water can expect a rate increase on Jan. 1 of every year.
While some may say consumers have no choice but to pay more, there is another option — use less....
Oak Parkers interested in saving water and its related costs are eligible for free water-saver kits that can save up to 57 gallons of water per person per day.Each kit contains a low-flow shower head, low-flow kitchen and bath faucet aerators, and a toilet tank displacement device that can make any...
Holidays affect waste collection schedule…Refuse, recycling and yard waste collection will be delayed by the holidays. For Thanksgiving, Thursday’s collection will be delayed until Friday and Friday’s collection delayed until Saturday. Collection also will be pushed back one day on Christmas Day...
Oak Parkers who opt for a refuse cart the same size as the recycling container can save $4.28 per month, or $12.84 on each quarterly bill under the current rate structure. Nearly 40 percent of residences served by the Village hauling contractor have chosen this option since it was first offered in...
Getting vaccinated against the flu in November or even December is still not too late. Public health officials recommend that everyone older than 6 months get vaccinated every year. Flu vaccine is offered at numerous commercial pharmacies, grocery stores and other retail sites in the Oak Park area...
Private contractors soon will be pruning trees as part of the winter trimming cycle set for January through March. The areas scheduled for trimming this season are between the Eisenhower Expressway and Madison Street from East Avenue to Harlem Avenue, and between Madison Street and South Boulevard...
Shoppers who come upon a bagged meter in downtown Oak Park or in the vicinity of South Oak Park Avenue are in luck. They can park free for two hours.
Beginning after Thanksgiving, anyone can park free for two hours at a bagged meter or in a pay-by-space lot on Saturdays before Dec. 25. Parking is...
An investment of about $30 for a detector can be the difference in life and death when it comes to deadly carbon monoxide, an odorless and tasteless gas that can leak into one’s home from a malfunctioning gas appliance, such as a furnace or water heater.
Because it is impossible to see, taste or...
All rental property in Oak Park must be licensed annually by Jan. 1. Even property owners who rent out a single residential unit must meet the following requirements:
Obtain a residential license for each property every year
Participate in an annual crime-free-housing seminar
Include a crime-free...
Overnight, on-street parking restrictions are eased to accommodate visitors and guests during major holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Restrictions will be lifted from 2:30 a.m., Wed., Nov. 25 until 2:30 a.m., Mon. Nov. 30, and from 2:30 a.m., Sat., Dec. 19 until 2:30 a.m. Mon., Jan. 4...
Owners of multi-family buildings with seven or fewer units may be eligible for forgivable loans of up to $5,000 per unit under the Village’s Small Rental Rehab Program
Owners need to contribute matching funds of at least 25 percent of the total project cost and agree to rent to income-eligible...
More than three years after it was launched, Oak Park’s sewer backup prevention grant program has helped 184 households make improvements to address basement flooding.
A recent customer satisfaction survey of grant recipients found that 92 percent of respondents were satisfied with the results of...
Single-family homeowners who need help paying for work to correct health and safety issues and building code violations may be eligible for no-interest loans of up to $25,000. No monthly payments are required. Loans are repayable after 20 years or when the property is transferred.
The federally...
Property owners who receive a letter from the Village asking them to call a private vendor or visit the company’s website to set up an appointment to replace a water meter are urged to respond promptly.
The 30-minute process does not require any plumbing changes although the water will be turned...
A veteran Village employee has been named Interim Director of the Oak Park Department of Public Health. Mike Charley, who joined the Health Department in 2003 as manager of the Environmental Services Division, steps into a position that had been vacant since Margaret Provost-Fyfe retired at the end...
A Master Code Professional and Certified Building Official has been named the Village’s new Chief Building Official. Steven L. Cutaia, who also holds a master’s degree in business and public administration, joined the Village in October.
Cutaia comes to Oak Park from Prospect Heights where he was...
Oak Parkers seeking information on a wide range of potential safety issues need go no further than www.oak-park.us/fire. That’s the page on the Village web site that links to important information provided by the Oak Park Fire Department.
Along with details on the vital mission of fire suppression...
Senior citizens and individuals with disabilities can get assistance enrolling in Medicare Part D through the Oak Park Township Senior Services’ Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Counselors are available by appointment to help with decisions on health care options for the upcoming year....
An Illinois driver’s license or state identification card is all it takes to register to vote or change a voting address online at www.cookcountyclerk.com. Individuals submitting an online application receive an email confirmation followed by a voter registration card via the U.S. Mail within a few...
Residents and businesses are urged to help improve walking conditions and public safety by removing snow and ice from sidewalks after a storm.
Village ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed from the public sidewalk within 24 hours following any snow, sleet or freezing rain. If the snow or...
After a two-inch snowfall, the Emergency Snow Removal Parking Plan goes into effect and the following parking rules are enforced seven days a week, including holidays:
Main streets posted as snow routes must be cleared of all parked cars. These include Augusta, Austin, Chicago, Division, Garfield,...
The annual fall leaf collection program will continue through Dec. 3. Leaves should be raked into the street at least 18 inches from the curb the day before the scheduled pickup dates indicated on the map. Residents who miss a scheduled pickup date should keep leaves on the parkway until the night...
