‘Family-friendly and community-building’ On Saturday, August 21, we partnered with Bike Walk Oak Park for a bicycle tour of native gardens throughout Oak Park. The collaborative event was part of the Year of the Butterfly, a community initiative to bring awareness about how to support a healthy habitat for butterflies and other pollinators. “I loved … Read more
The following post was originally published in the Wednesday Journal as “Parks, libraries, and building community,” a One View column by Jan Arnold and David J. Seleb, on Tuesday, June 18. Jan Arnold is executive director of the Park District of Oak Park. David J. Seleb is executive director of the Oak Park Public Library. … Read more
In April, New Moms Oak Park Center and Clare Place opened their doors to the community, inviting us in to see their beautiful new building at 206 Chicago Ave. The new location provides 18 permanent supportive homes for previously homeless families with young children, plus space for community programs and an outdoor playground. “For more … Read more
The following letter to the editor, by staff from the Oak Park Public Library, the Collaboration for Early Childhood, New Moms, and the Park District of Oak Park, was published in the June 12 edition of the Wednesday Journal and has been lightly edited for our website. Although rewarding once you arrive, it’s not always easy to get to … Read more
Share books, songs, and play in our parks Weather permitting, come check out books in Oak Park parks, engaging with neighbors, and signing up for our kids’ summer reading program, Reading Takes You Everywhere. Then, see where else the Book Bike will be this summer » “This idea stemmed from what we heard while talking with young families and … Read more
Ride along with the Book Bike as we share the unique #OakParkStories of small businesses, starting this National Small Business Week, April 30-May 6. The idea is to turn outward and amplify voices from the community, said Neighborhood Services Librarian Sarah Yale. “To start, we intentionally reached out to local small businesses in areas not given as much ‘love’ as those in … Read more
