The Tour de Proviso, homecoming weekend, participate in strategic planning for the River Forest Library and More!

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Dear River Forest residents,

The third annual Tour de Proviso will be hosted by the Village of Riverside Village President, Joe Ballerine, this Saturday, October 1 at 7:30 a.m. This annual bicycle tour was created as a way to bring neighboring communities together while showcasing the rich histories found throughout the western suburbs. Several of our trustees and police officers will be participating in this event. More information on this event can be found in an article below.

At our September 26 Village Board Meeting, the Board approved the purchase of two police patrol vehicles and an Advanced Life Support ambulance to maintain an updated fleet for our first responders. The Board also awarded a bid for the demolition of vacant, Village-owned properties in the Madison Street TIF district. Properties at 7612-7620 Madison Street, 11 Ashland and 10 Lathrop will be demolished using State grant funds. This demolition will provide the Village with opportunities to attract smart development to one of our premier corridors.

Also at this week’s Village Board Meeting, the River Forest 10U and 14U Girls’ Softball State Championship teams were celebrated for their hard work this season. I am so proud of their perseverance and dedication!

Sincerely,

Cathy Adduci, Village President

Village of River Forest

Tour de Proviso

This year’s Tour De Proviso will be hosted by the Village of Riverside and take place this Saturday, October 1 throughout historic Riverside, in addition to areas of Brookfield Zoo. Riders should meet at Guthrie Park at 7:30 a.m. and be prepared to begin between 7:45 - 8 a.m. This event is free and open to all ages. To learn more, or to sign up, click here. A route map is available here.

Traffic Study

Recommendations for the Northeast Traffic Study will be presented to the Village Board in October for consideration. The Traffic & Safety Commission has recommended temporary measures, such as barriers, be put in place to gauge their effectiveness and give residents time to provide feedback. To view more details on this Study, and for a list of recommendations, click here.

River Forest Library Strategic Plan

Help plan for the future of the River Forest Library! The library is holding a series of focus groups as part of their strategic planning process. You are invited to attend an in-person or virtual session, with times available on October 3, 11 and 12. Each session is limited to eight participants and will last for approximately one hour. To attend a session, please complete the form HERE to register. An email confirmation will be sent a few days prior to the session, and include a Zoom link if you choose a virtual option.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to provide input in the strategic planning process, please contact Amanda Standerfer at amanda@standerferconsulting.com.

Homecoming Weekend

The Oak Park River Forest varsity football team has their homecoming game against Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) tomorrow, September 30, starting at 7:30 p.m. Cheer them on and make sure you have your tickets for the 2022 Homecoming dance! The event will take place at the High School this Saturday, October 1 from 7–10 p.m. The dance's theme is “The Met Gala” and tickets can be purchased in advance here.

Dominican University Ranked #1

Congratulations to Dominican University! U.S. News and World Report ranked them number one in Illinois for Best Undergraduate Teaching, Best Value, Best Social Mobility and Most Innovative University. To see all of the University’s accolades, click here.

Join the Great Apple Crunch!

Help to celebrate Illinois farmers, along with healthy kids and communities by participating in the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch! This campaign encourages area residents to buy, serve and ‘crunch’ into locally grown apples - and the official “Crunch Day” is on Thursday, October 13 at noon. To learn more or to register for this event, click here.

Electronic Waste Recycling

Residents who participate in the Village's Waste Collection Program can now sign up to have e-waste collected from their home. There is no additional charge for this service, but requests must be received by Wednesday, October 12 at 5 p.m. for collections during the week of October 17. Lakeshore Recycling Systems will collect up to seven items, with no more than two televisions or computer monitors per household. A list of accepted materials and the registration form can be found here.

Fall Is a Great Time to Look at Your Trees!

Fall is in the air and our beautiful River Forest tree canopy has begun to turn shades of yellow, orange and red. Get to know the trees on your own block by doing River Forest Tree Trails: On Your Block. - a fun and easy activity sheet with fill-in-the-blank questions about the different tree species that live on the parkway right outside your front door. Visit the Village parkway tree map to help you answer the fun fill-in-the-blank questions!

River Forest Business Spotlight!

New Rose Catering is a local, full-service caterer - whether you're hosting a wedding, birthday, retirement, baby shower or fundraiser - New Rose Catering will do the cooking for you! They also offer weekly dinner delivery, featuring three entrees and two soups. Vegetarian options are always available and the menu changes seasonally. To learn more, call 708-261-6908 or visit newrosecatering.com.

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