Oak Park Mayor Marian McClellan
Photos ©2021 by Bennie White
NINE YEARS AGO, CITY MANAGER ERIK TUNGATE told me that when economic development reaches a certain level it gains momentum and starts snowballing. Looking around at our stagnant City in 2011, it didn’t seem likely. Fast-forward to now and that stagnation has turned into momentum, and now Oak Park is where it’s happening. Many years of gathering community input, detailed planning, acquiring funding, ordering equipment and installing it are culminating right now. It’s an exciting time to be in Oak Park.
This momentum has occurred because of several different projects, ideas, and of course bountiful support. First, we began to beautify the City by planting gardens of cheerful yellow sunflowers. Flowerpots on main streets also started to appear, bringing pops of color and the feeling that folks around here cared about keeping up appearances. Spirits were raised and hope was reborn.
Then, new City signs sprung up. The tacky cyclone fencing at I-696 and Coolidge was replaced by a memorable, award-winning gateway to the City of Oak Park. It brands and beautifies the City and welcomes walkers and those on bikes.
Improvements to Nine Mile Road have also been creating momentum. The Nine Mile Redesign is changing the trajectory of that neighborhood. The street diet, the new trailhead, pocket parks, bike lanes and back-in parking for businesses and the attractively landscaped pocket parks at Sherman and Seneca are among the new amenities helping us to attract families to that area. The linear park on the south side of Nine Mile will only encourage more families to visit the area. Lovely new fencing in that area also has added some visual unity.
ELEVEN MILE ROAD IS ALSO GETTING A MAKEOVER; It has been rezoned so abandoned tool-and-dye shops can be reborn as bistros like Oak Park Social, breweries like Dog & Pony Show Brewing and Unexpected Craft Brewing Company, and an upscale coffee/entertainment center called Berkley Coffee in Oak Park. We also are taking advantage of the new state law that allows Social Districts, encouraging people to visit the local businesses and meander from one to the next. This once under-used district is transforming into a fun destination for young folks, though my husband who is not so young also loves going to Dog & Pony for a coke and some BBQ.
While we love our businesses and improving our corridors, we also love our parks and our dogs in Oak Park. I know from walking and talking to voters that we own a lot of dogs in Oak Park. And, with such a population a dog park only seemed appropriate. The Dog Park Committee of the Recreation Commission is making plans for a beautiful dog park on Scotia past Albany for dogs of all sizes. With plans on this plugging way, we hope to have more updates too.
Other projects of interest that are helping to popularize Oak Park forward include supporting new housing alternatives to meet the needs of young professionals who prefer to bike or bus around without car costs. The City has secured one loft development for Nine Mile right by a bus stop and a Mogo Station.
WITH SO MUCH PLANNED WE ARE STILL LOOKING TO THE FUTURE for ways to maximize our development dollars by cooperating with neighboring cities and writing grants together to benefit the region. We are also working with Berkley and Huntington Woods to qualify for beautification grants and road diet funds. We will be adding specialized gardens that absorb flood water in the city. I’m very proud of these multi-City initiatives!
Our diverse, friendly residents are our greatest asset in attracting young singles, couples and families. We are developing Oak Park in accordance with our vision based on our hometown values. A great deal of new infrastructure, new events and new energy has already happened or is in final planning stages. The best is yet to come.
