Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool Opening Weekend!

The Outdoor Pool will be opening Friday, May 27 for the 2022 season! The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will be releasing more information as we get closer to opening day.

For general information on the outdoor pool, click here.

Citywide Brush Pickup Continues

Waste Connections is continuing their work on the city wide brush pickup.You can check the pickup schedule by clicking here.

For information about brush pickup, such as details on what is eligible for collection, click here.

OR Recreation and Parks Department Wants to Hear from You!

Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department and the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board are launching a new public survey to understand resident opinions and priorities regarding the Oak Ridge Municipal Pool. Last renovated in 1993 and with the structure reaching the end of its useful life, the City is seeking input from the community on their priorities for a renovated or redesigned pool as planning begins for this large and important project.

The Zencity survey will gather hundreds of responses and appear to local residents through the use of digital ads in various locations such as news websites, social media platforms, blogs, and apps. In addition, residents can find and respond to the survey here. Once the necessary sampling of responses has been received, the City will share the results publicly.

Survey Methodology

Zencity’s community survey incorporates voices from every corner of the community. To do so, Zencity sets response targets based on U.S. Census data about the municipality. Zencity ensures the security and privacy of its data and survey respondents. Survey responses are anonymous, unless a respondent chooses to share their email address for follow-up purposes, in which case their survey responses are kept confidential. Zencity does not collect a respondent’s name, address, or any other personally-identifying information. Zencity’s weighting accounts for the responses of every single person who answered a question. The responses give a proportional voice to all demographics (e.g., by age, sex, race, education level, and income level) based on the makeup of the municipality.

Employee Spotlight: Oak Ridge Firefighter Presents at 2022 NATO CBRN Medical Symposium

Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief/Paramedic Todd Derrick was an invited speaker at the NATO CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) Medical Working Group Conference held virtually May 3-4, 2022. This conference was hosted in conjunction with CBRNe World and explored all aspects of CBRN medical response, sharing the latest in preparation and medical treatment for such an event. Derrick presented on “From Factory to Farm: First Responder Safety”. The presentation covered first responder safety in many aspects such as electrical hazards and mixing of household chemicals.

The event hosted 250 NATO medical professionals from over 20 countries, both civilian and military, ranging from tactical to strategic, and from front-line medical professionals to decision makers.

Battalion Chief Derrick is a 36 year veteran of the Oak Ridge Fire Department, and has worked in emergency medical services and rescue since 1982.

Explore an "Ocean of Possibilities" with the Oak Ridge Public Library's 2022 Summer Reading Program!

People of all ages are invited to dive into the ocean depths at Oak Ridge Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme is “Oceans of Possibilities,” and readers of all ages are invited to join the fun beginning May 23.

The Children’s Summer Reading Program has been a staple in the Oak Ridge community for years. Signups for this program begin May 23 and will be available in the Children’s Room or online at orpl.org. Participants are challenged to read either ten or twenty books, depending on reading level. Those who complete the challenge by July 11 receive prizes and a ticket to the Finisher’s Party.

Adults are also encouraged to get in on the summer reading fun. Sign-ups for the Adult Summer Reading program begin May 23 and will only be available in the library. Weekly prizes are available for those who participate, and those who read at least eight books are entered to win a grand prize. Each weekly challenge is designed to introduce you to library staff, challenge you to find new library services, and discover the newest, hottest titles.

With over two dozen planned events, from magicians, musicians, movies, and more, there are “Oceans of Possibilities” for entertainment this summer. Come join in!

For more information, call the library at (865) 425-3455, visit orpl.org, or follow the library on Facebook and Twitter: @OakRidgePubLib.

City of Oak Ridge Now Accepting Applications for 2022 Mid-Year Board and Commission Elections

Applications are now open for the 2022 Mid-Year Board and Commission Elections! For this election cycle, the City is accepting applications for the newly created Disability Advisory Board. The board is to be comprised of 9 members. Applicants must be Oak Ridge residents, and preference will be given to individuals who are knowledgeable of, experienced with, or familiar with disability issues.City Council will vote on candidates at the June13 City Council Meeting.

Additionally, the City is also accepting applications for the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Applicants must be a rising 8th through 12th grader and be a resident of Oak Ridge.A screening panel will review the candidates, and then provide recommendations to City Council. City Council will vote on the candidates at the July 11 City Council Meeting.

The final open positions are for one student representative each to the Environmental Quality Advisory Board (EQAB) and the Traffic Safety Advisory Board (TSAB). Applicants for these positions must be a high school-age student and a resident of Oak Ridge. Like YAB, candidates for EQAB, and TSAB, will be voted on at the July 11 City Council Meeting.

The deadline for applications is June 6, 2022 at 5:00pm. Applications will be accepted online and in person at the City Clerk's Office. To access the online application, click here.

Come see "Synthetic Biology and the Future of Bioenergy" on May 26

The Oak Ride Public Library is hosting its May Technology Class on Thursday May 26 at 1:00pm. Dr. Carrie Eckert will present on how "the development of new genome engineering technologies such as CRISPR-Cas in a variety of organisms has greatly accelerated our ability to identify genetic factors responsible for particular traits of interest, as well as enabled the manipulation of those factors to achieve desired outcomes. These tools are being implemented in plants and microbes towards engineering systems to develop a more sustainable bioeconomy that will enable the production of chemicals and fuels from a variety of non-food feedstocks."

You can RSVP by clicking here. More information can be found here.