The following email provides timely information on news and services
from the City of Darien.
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Weekly eNews - December 21, 2023 |
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Mayor's Message
“Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us – a time when we can look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead.” - David Cameron
If you are like me, you probably spend time during this period of the year to reflect not only on the previous eleven months, but on your life in general. We will measure the good and bad that occurred during the year and assess how those events impacted our lives, and if those events will have a significant impact on our future. We will look at the people who came into our lives as well as those who left us during the previous year. There are those who have left us and we breathe a sigh of relief, while there are others who leave us and we breathe a sigh of remorse, wondering why they had to go away.
As we look back on our past year, we also need to look at our community, how we interacted with others, and what contributions we made, if any to enhancing that community. We call Darien a “nice place to live,” and when we do that, we hopefully reflect on why we chose this community as our home. When I ask myself this question, I can honestly say that it is the people who live in this city that make it a nice place to live; it is our volunteer spirit, our need to assist others who need our help, our schools, our city services, our appreciation for our heritage. These things and so much more are what makes this a nice place to live; people like YOU make this city a nice place to live.
As I reflect on my past year, on the highs and lows that occur to all of us, I am grateful for my opportunity to live and work with the wonderful people of this city who truly are the bedrock of this community. My hope for all of you this holiday season is that in assessing your year, the beautiful moments outweigh the low points in your life, and that those who have come into your life add joy and happiness to your day to day life. May all of you find some time this holiday season to sit and reflect on the past year, and may all of you see how you, our Darien residents, make this truly, a nice place to live. Happy Holidays to all of you!
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Holiday Service Update
City Hall will close at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 22 and will be closed on Monday, December 25, and Tuesday, December 26, in observance of the Christmas holiday. It will also be closed on Monday, January 1, in observance of New Year’s Day.
Refuse/recycling collection services will be postponed by one day for the entire week following both holidays, as the holidays will be observed by LRS on Monday December 25, 2023 and Monday, January 1, 2024. Learn more.
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Christmas Tree Collection
LRS collects live Christmas trees the first two full weeks of January at no charge. Trees placed out after the first 2 weeks of January will require prepayment and prescheduling.
- Remove all materials from the tree prior to disposal, including ornaments, tinsel, lights etc.
- Christmas trees cannot be in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic – will not be collected
- All wreaths and roping must be included with normal trash on residents’ normal collection day
- Any trees that are over 7ft tall would need to be cut in half to have it removed
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Overnight Parking Suspended for Holiday
The City's overnight parking ban will be suspended from December 23rd at 2:00 a.m. through January 2nd at 6:00 a.m. All other parking restrictions will remain in effect.
*NOTE - There is no parking on City streets during a winter weather event - where snow or ice are in excess of 1 inch.
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City of Darien – Holiday Lights Contest Winners
As always, our community brought joy and excitement to our community through their holiday home decorations! Thank you so much to everyone who decorated their homes to make our City a bit brighter this holiday season and thank you to everyone who submitted nominations!
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Our winners this year are:
1st Place: 7809 Farmingdale Drive
2nd Place: 8361 Parkview Drive
3rd Place: 6821 White Pine Trail
4th Place: 1609 Gordon Court
5th Place: 7210 Whitter Drive
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Honorable Mentions:
7702 Florence Avenue
1301 Iroquois Lane
7714 Stratford Place
621 Maple Lane
7406 Richmond Avenue
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Safe Holiday Travels
The holidays have arrived and millions of people will be traveling over the next two weeks. If you will be out of town this holiday season, here are some tips for preparing your home:
- Lock all doors and windows
- Use automatic timers on lights in your home
- Pause your mail and package deliveries while you're away
- Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to check on your home (and water your plants!)
- Don't post your travel plans on Social Media
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Nominations for Darien Citizen of the Year
Due January 2
The Citizen of the Year Committee is searching for a very special man or woman who has given of themselves to make Darien a "Nice Place to Live"! If you know of a person who goes "above and beyond the call of duty" ... is always there when someone needs a hand ... and who has contributed to making Darien a special place, please nominate them for this honor!
This year, we will not only be honoring our Citizen of the Year, we will also be paying tribute to individuals selected by their organizations as their “member of the year.”
Nominees must be residents of Darien and not currently serving as an elected official. The deadline for nominations to be considered for the current year is Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 5 p.m. Learn More.
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Holiday Recycling
As you make room for new gifts and purchases, you may find you have a lot of items that need to go! Check out DuPage County's recycling webpage to find out what you can recycle instead of throwing it away. Clothing, textiles, electronics, holiday lights, and more can be kept out of the landfill this holiday season. Also, you can continue to recycle your holiday lights through mid-February outside the Darien Police Department.
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2024 Darien Fest to Move to Westwood Park
Mayor Marchese announced that the 2024 Darien Fest will return to the Darien Park District and will be held at Westwood Park, located at 75th Street and Fairview Avenue. “The City is pleased to assist in bringing Darien Fest back to a Park District location and partner with the chamber and Park District to make this a wonderful community event,” said Mayor Marchese. The 2024 Darien Fest will take place August 9 - 11. Read Press Release here. |
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City of Darien is Hiring
The City of Darien is hiring! Join our team of dedicated professionals working together for our wonderful community. The current open positions are:
For more information and to access the application, please visit here or call 630-353-8104. |
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Be in the Know - Help Spread the Word
Darien’s Direct Connect E-Newsletter (DC) is the City’s primary source of information for residents and businesses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about DC, forward this email to them, and ask them to sign up. Signing up is simple and can be done here. |
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Click on the links below for more information on these upcoming community events! |
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January 8, 6:30 pm: Argonne National Laboratory: Engaging the Region’s Innovation Ecosystem, St. John Lutheran Church: link
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Darien Police Weekly Press Release
The Darien Police Department issues a press release each week.
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Darien Events and Happenings |
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Check out the City Calendar for information on upcoming meetings and events
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Check out the Community Calendar for the news on events from Darien community organizations!
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(630) 353-8114
City Hall (630) 852-5000
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Visit the City of Darien's website for information on City services.
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