To mark Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5
- 11, the Oak Park Fire Department is sponsoring its
annual art and essay contest for all Oak Park elementary and
middle school children. Students in grades four through eight
should base their artwork on this year's theme, When Fire Strikes: Get Out and Stay Out, while students in kindergarten through third
grade can base their artwork on any fire prevention theme.
Artwork can be any size up to 12 inches by 18 inches. Fourth
through sixth graders may choose to write a 25-50 word
essay on the theme and junior high students may submit a
50-100 word essay on any home fire safety topic. Entries
must be submitted by 5 p.m., Tues., Sept. 30, to any of the
Village three fire stations -- 100 N. Euclid Ave, 212
Augusta St. and 900 S. East Ave. Winners and their immediate
families will be guests at a dinner ceremony at the Main Fire
Station on Euclid. Winning entries will be displayed in Village
Hall, 123 Madison St. For more information call 358.5605 or
email fire@oak-park.us.
Village outlines positions to state,
regional transportation planners
In one of the final opportunities
for public comment on the draft long-range regional transportation plan,
the Village reiterated its long-standing support for including alternatives
to expanding Interstate 290. The Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS)
held the public hearing in Oak Park in late August to gather more public
input on the latest Regional Transportation Plan for the Chicago region,
known as Shared Path 2030. Among
the Village's recommendations are expanding the CTA Blue Line El further
west, increasing capacity of the Metra Union-Pacific West Line and adding
rapid transit bus routes. The Village also urged including language
supporting the Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) multi-modal
study of the I-290/I-88 corridor. The east/west corridor study would
be similar to a recent RTA study of the Northwest Corridor that recommended
a new Metra service along Interstate 90. In addition to urging CATS
to support the RTA study, known as the Cook-DuPage
Corridor Study, the Village in consultation with the citizen volunteers
of the I-290 Eisenhower Citizen Advisory Committee, also sent comments
to both the RTA and the Illinois Department of Transportation asking
for a fully integrated look at all the options to reducing congestion
in the corridor. To see the Village's full comments and all of its Eisenhower
activities, visit www.oak-park.us-- click on News, then the
I-290 icon.
Firm picked to study capping expressway
An international firm with extensive
experience in rail, transit, bridge and highway project design has been
selected to lead a multi-disciplinary team that will conduct an in-depth
study of covering the Eisenhower Expressway along its route through
the Village. The Chicago office of URS Corporation was selected through
a competitive bid process that attracted 11 proposals. The project will
be funded by $225,000 state grant, to which the Village will provide
a 10 percent match. Expected to take about a year to complete, the study
will examine a wide range of options about the potential size of a cap
or caps, and what types of uses the community desires on its surface.
Watch for more details about the public involvement opportunities planned
including a project website, community survey, stakeholder group formation
and public input meetings as the study gears up later this year. For
more information on the Village's Eisenhower activities, visit www.oak-park.us-- click on News, then
the I-290 icon.
Annual Great Paint Exchange coming
Oak Parkers can safely dispose of unwanted,
but usable paint, or take home free paint, at "The Great
Paint Exchange" scheduled for Sat., Sept. 27, at the
Public Works Center, 131 South Blvd. Half-to-full cans of latex
paint will be accepted from 9 - 11 a.m., and then given
away from 1 - 3 p.m. For more information, call 358.5700
or email publicworks@oak-park.us.
Household hazardous materials collection
set
Area residents can get rid of household hazardous
materials from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sat., Oct. 4 in the
Cicero Municipal Parking Lot, 1817 S. Laramie Ave. Acceptable
materials are oil-based paint, paint thinner, herbicides,
insecticides, pesticides, gasoline, pool chemicals, mercury,
batteries (household and auto), motor oil, drain cleaners,
solvents, cleaning products, antifreeze, hobby chemicals,
fluorescent bulbs and thermostats. Latex paint, fireworks,
medical waste, business waste, smoke detectors and ammunition
will not be accepted. The Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency, West Cook County Solid Waste Agency and the Town of
Cicero are sponsoring the event. For more information, call
708.450.0100.
