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Thursday, October 26, 2023

Dear River Forest residents,


At the most recent Village Board meeting, the Village Board of Trustees heard concerns about ribbons being tied around parkway trees in the Village and determined the current Village ordinance needs a review and potential updating. This topic will be addressed at the November 13 Village Board meeting to determine how we can adjust the code to allow for ribbons to be tied around trees in observance of different causes our residents wish to highlight.


Also at Monday’s Board meeting, Trustees voted to remove the traffic barriers on Clinton and Bonnie Brae south of North Avenue and to collect additional traffic data in the northeast corner of town. I thank the volunteers on the Traffic & Safety Commission for their hard work reviewing this important issue, and look forward to discussing the recommendations of the Village-wide traffic study in the months to come. 


Lastly, trick-or-treating in the Village will be on Tuesday, October 31 from 3-7 p.m. In an effort to keep the children in our community safe, please be sure younger children are accompanied by an adult and older children trick-or-treat in groups. Only approach the front door of homes that are well lit and make sure to inspect candy before consumption. For additional trick-or-treat safety tips, please click here. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!


Sincerely,

Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest

Streetscape Project

The Village has partnered with the Village of Elmwood Park for a streetscape project on North Avenue, to create a more walkable and pedestrian friendly environment along this vital corridor, with numerous retail and commercial properties. This project is currently in the early design phase. More information on the design and construction timelines will be shared in future Village newsletters.

Bal Dominique Fundraiser

Join Trinity High School for their annual Bal Dominique Gala on Friday, November 10 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Butterfield Country Club. Attendees will enjoy cocktails, dinner, live music, a silent auction and an awards ceremony. To learn more or to purchase tickets for the event, click here.

Property Tax Bills

Second installment property tax bills for 2022 are due Friday, December 1 and will be mailed out in early November. Taxpayers are also now able to view, pay and print out a copy of their property tax bills on the Cook County Treasurer's website found here. If you are missing exemptions please reach out to the River Forest Township Assessor.

Make a Difference Day

"Make a Difference Day" is this Saturday, October 28 and is an annual observance that encourages residents to volunteer, raise funds and donate to good causes that benefit the community. Some ways to celebrate the day include donating non-perishable food items to the Oak Park-River Forest Food Pantry or participating in the Halloween Fun Run Sunday, October 29 at 9 a.m. in Constitution Park. River Forest residents are also invited to add their name to the list as a potential volunteer for the Sustainability Commission. The form can be found here.

Upcoming Halloween Events

Halloween Fun Run

Join Hephzibah Children's Association for their second annual 1.5 mile Halloween Fun Run on Sunday, October 29 in Constitution Park. The children’s warm up will begin at 9 a.m. and the family start time is at 9:30 a.m. The cost is $20 for adult participants, $10 for children and $50 for families of four or more. This is a family-friendly event and costumes are encouraged! To learn more, click here.


Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hephzibah Children's Association, whose mission is to help children thrive and families flourish through innovative, community-based programs. They also offer a home for children in Oak Park, Hephzibah Home, that provides intensive therapeutic care for severely traumatized young adults, a foster program, daycare and more.

Candy Drop

After a year hiatus, the Candy Drop will be returning to the 1100 Block of Keystone Avenue! Residents Sam and David Zimberoff have been making touch-free candy delivery contraptions for nine years that have become a Halloween tradition. Trick-or-treaters can stand at the sidewalk and see their candy drop from the sky on Tuesday, October 31 from 3-7 p.m. To learn more, click here.

Trick-or-Treating

Trick-or-treating will take place in the Village on Tuesday, October 31 from 3-7 p.m., and residents are requested to participate within these hours. For families who choose to take part in the holiday fun, please be considerate of residents who have made the decision not to participate, and visit only homes with their outside lights on.

Triton College Presents: Frankenstein

Celebrate the spooky season with Triton College’s production of Frankenstein, by R.N. Sandberg, Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28 from 7-8:30 p.m., in the George R. Cox Auditorium located in the Fine Arts Building (J Building). The production is directed by Oskar Westbridge and admission is a $5 donation, or complimentary with a Triton ID. For more information, please send an email.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Safely dispose of unused, expired or unwanted prescriptions or over-the-counter medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Oak Park and Maywood police departments. Please note: if you are unable to attend this event, the Village of River Forest has a prescription drop box located in the basement of Village Hall available to residents Monday - Friday during normal business hours. For addresses of drop off locations and additional drop off locations, click here.

Don't Trash it, Smash it!

“Green your Halloween'' by taking your pumpkins to the Pumpkin Smash at Roosevelt Middle School on Saturday, November 4, co-sponsored by Green4Good and Lakeshore Recycling Systems. Between 9 a.m. and noon, you can compost your carvings in River Forest, rather than having them end up in a landfill. Please remove candles and decorations from your pumpkins before composting them. For more information and other locations, click here.

River Forest Business Spotlight!

Med Aesthetics Chicago is a new business in River Forest that specializes in body sculpting, skin rejuvenation, laser treatments and more. Their mission is to help patients improve their overall happiness and well-being. Please show them your support and learn more about them, by clicking here.



Please support local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website. If you’d like your business to be featured in the weekly Business Spotlight, please send us an email.

What's Happening in River Forest?

Visit the River Forest Community Calendar at rfhappenings.com
to find out, today!

Village of River Forest


400 Park Avenue

River Forest, Illinois 60305

708-366-8500


vrf.us

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