Big City Access Small Town Charm | |
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Week Ending - March 1, 2025
Welcome to the Village of Forest Park's weekly e-newsletter! Please use this e-newsletter as a resource to provide you with the latest news, events, and resources in and around Forest Park!
| This week, I had the pleasure of joining Commissioners Maxham and Voogd, Finance Director Olmsted, and Public Works Director Stella for a tour of Nadeau Ice Sculptures. It was such a fascinating experience to see firsthand the incredible creative process that goes into each ice sculpture. One of my favorite parts of working for the village is getting to meet the talented and inspiring people and businesses that make our community so unique. Nadeau Ice Sculptures is a perfect example of the amazing work happening right here in our village! | I’ve been working closely with the police and fire departments to ensure everything runs smoothly for tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. Earlier this week, while preparing for the event, I had the chance to stop by the newly opened U3 Coffee on Madison Street. If you’re in the area, be sure to check it out! Megan Roach, the Mayor's Assistant, and I can personally vouch for their amazing lattes and decadent brownies. You won’t be disappointed! While it might be a bit chilly, we’re hoping the sun will join us for a fantastic event! | |
Rachell Entler
Village Administrator
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Village Council Meeting Information
The next meeting of the Forest Park Village Council will be held on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 7pm in the lower level of Village Hall. As always, the public is welcome to join.
Recap of the February 24 Village Council Meeting
- Presentations by the Chamber of Commerce and FP Arts Alliance.
- Approved ordinance abating tax for 2024 to pay $6,745,000 in General Obligation Refunding Bonds (Series 2012).
- Approved conditional use for a medical clinic at 334 Circle Avenue (R-2 District).
- Approved Resolution for Maintenance under the Illinois Highway Code.
- Approved and published the Official Zoning Map of Forest Park.
- Approved Highway Authority Agreement with Combined Real Estate, LLC.
- Approved Fire Station Rehabilitation and Construction Grant application with the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
- Directed Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to offer employment to next two eligible probationary police officers.
- Approved Howard Mohr Community Center Senior Trip Contract for Hollywood Blvd Cinema.
If you missed the meeting, a recording can be found here.
| News from the Village Clerk's Office | Village Hall was feeling festive today, "shamrockin" our green for Casual Friday thanks to our custom decorations from Balloons by Lily! Stop by Village Hall and check it out. | News from the Mayor's Office | |
The Mayor and Village Commissioners will be leading tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day Parade, marking the 29th year of this tradition! Below, you’ll find a photo from the parade held on March 10, 2012, as well as another photo from 1882, showing how the town looked at that time, featuring what is now the location of Play It Again Sports. A big thank you to the Forest Park Historical Society and the Forest Park Review for their dedication to preserving and sharing our history. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "We are not makers of history. We are made by history."
The Historical Society's Look Back Blog is an invaluable resource, offering a fascinating glimpse into the rich past of our Village. Be sure to check it out and discover more about our community’s journey through time. Next week, we’ll be sharing some exciting photos from the 2025 parade, so stay tuned for another look at this cherished event as it continues to thrive.
Forest Park Review would love to hear from you so please take this brief survey.
Photo credit Forest Park Historical Society & Forest Park Review.
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News from the Public Works Department
Parade Parking and Street Closure Reminder
Attention residents: Tomorrow, starting at 10:00 AM, there will be no parking on Madison Street. At that time, all side streets connecting to Madison Street (Ferdinand, Beloit, Hannah, Elgin, Marengo, Burkhardt Court) will be closed off.
Madison Street will be fully closed to traffic at 12:00 PM, ahead of the parade's kickoff at 1:00 PM. The parade will begin at Madison and Van Buren, traveling east on Madison to Elgin.
Please note that there will be a siren-free zone along the parade route, from Van Buren and Madison to Desplaines and Madison. Emergency vehicles will pass through this area without using sirens or horns until they cross Desplaines.
The parade is expected to conclude at 3:00 pm. Madison Street and side streets will gradually reopen depending on crowd control and cleanup efforts. Marengo Avenue from Madison to the alley will reopen Sunday morning. Please be patient as our Public Works Department begins cleanup starting at Van Buren and proceeds east along the parade route.
Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to celebrating with you!
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News from the Department of Public Health & Safety
Help the Forest Park Board of Health create a brighter future for mental well-being in our community. Share your thoughts through this private survey.
Bonus: Leave your email, and you could win gift cards to local stores and restaurants! (Limit one survey response per household.)
Take the survey here.
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News from the Fire Department | |
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9-1-1- Emergency and Non-Emergencies
Anyone requiring immediate assistance from the Forest Park Police and Fire Departments should call 9-1-1; this also includes non-emergency situations which require a response. The Village’s 9-1-1 dispatch center will route your call to the appropriate personnel to assist with the matter at hand. The Village’s 708-366-2425 number is not to be used to request service for public safety personnel.
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News from the Police Department | |
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Upcoming Board and Commission Meetings
All meetings are held at Village Hall unless otherwise noted.
Dates and Times are subject to change- check the village website for the most up-to-date information.
March 5, Board of Health, 7pm
March 10, Village Council Meeting, 7pm
March 13, Recreation Board, 7pm
March 17, Planning & Zoning, 7pm
March 18, Neighborhood Watch, 7pm
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Forest Park D91 hosting 2nd annual Education Summit on March 22
Please join Forest Park D91 at our 2nd annual Education Summit on Saturday, March 22 from 8:00am - 1:00pm at Forest Park Middle School (925 Beloit Avenue). This year's theme, Empowering All: Unlocking Student Potential Through Collaborative Learning, underscores our commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment for every child. This FREE event includes:
· Resource Fair with 30 exhibitors ready to connect with participants on mental health support for youth, summer programming, healthcare services, academic support and MORE!
· Diverse Workshop offerings for parents, educators, community members and new to this year- youth in grades 5th-8th! These sessions will focus on topics like executive functioning, bully prevention, and stress management. Each workshop is capped at 20 people and are available first come, first serve.
· Keynote speaker Kisa Marx, founder of KidCrew Adventures Early Childhood Program in Oak Park, IL will share her expertise in early childhood education and share valuable insights with attendees
· Breakfast, lunch (for all registrants) and childcare for ages 4-9 years old
Register here to reserve your spot!
*NEW* to this year's Education Summit - F.A.C.E. (Family & Community Engagement) Awards! Nominate and celebrate those who embody LEAD91 and make a real impact in our district and community. Nominate here by March 5th.
Questions? Email Latoya McRae at lmcrae@fpsd91.org or visit our website.
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Library to host Digital Resilience Training
In partnership with Growing Community Media and Wright to Learn, the Forest Park Public Library is one of ten Cook County Digital Equity Empowerment Grant awardees.
The $15,000 grant will fund a variety of activities including a six week workshop series using trauma-informed curriculum created by Xandi Wright of Wright to Learn on the theme of Digital Resilience. Each group of 8-12 participants will receive a device to learn with that they can keep. If you are interested in participating, please click here.
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Forest Park Arts Alliance 48-Hour Film Challenge
The Arts Alliance will be hosting its third annual 48-Hour Film Challenge. Filming will take place the weekend of March 7-9, with the screening scheduled for March 22. Be sure to register before February 28, and tickets will be available online after March 1.
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More info and registration can be found here. | |
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Proviso Handyman February News
Proviso Handyman department is here to serve the needs of our senior residents over the age of 60 and /or disabled residents who are homeowners in our community.
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Local Hiring Opportunities | |
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The Village of Forest Park and several community partners are hiring. Please see the links below for more information and to apply:
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Important Phone Numbers
Police, Fire and Medical Needs
Emergency and Non-Emergency - 911
24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support - 988
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Text to 911 Now Available
West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center which provides emergency response services to Forest Park, along with Oak Park and River Forest can now receive 911 texts from a cell phone to report an emergency.
While calls to 911 will best assist emergency responders in being able to locate a caller, texting is an option for those who may need it. Text should only be used when some is unable to voice call to 911.
A text to 911 cannot include any other recipients. Texts to 911 may also take longer to reach the dispatch center.
Texts to 911 should be brief. Please include the type of help needed and the location where help is needed. Be prepared to respond to follow-up questions via text to better assist emergency responders.
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Village Hall/Clerk's Office - 708-366-2323
Police Department - 708-366-2425
Parking/Records - 708-366-7272
Fire Department - 708-366-1234
Community Center - 708-771-7737
Forest Park Public Library - 708-366-7171
Park District of Forest Park 708-366-7500
School District 91 - 708-366-5700
Proviso Township High School - 708- 338-5900
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