W E D N E S D A Y
July 19, 2023 Vol. 44, No. 3
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JOURNAL @oakpark
of Oak Park and River Forest
Running for their lives Page 13
Former staff weigh in on demolishing Oak Park Village Hall All agree new police facilities are needed
Dreaming in Austin Gardens
By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter
The prospect of the village of Oak Park tearing down its village hall to build a new one, complete with better police facilities, in its place has elicited quite the reaction from the public. Architecture aficionados and historic preservationists are reeling, as the Harry Weese-designed building, has a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Some are concerned by the project’s estimated cost of between $118 million and $124 million. And many others are still scratching their heads over the idea, which seemingly came out of nowhere upon being presented to the village board July 7.
Will Wilhelm and Sonia Goldberg in Oak Park Festival Theatre’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ REVIEW BY DOUG DEUCHLER, PAGE 14
See VILLAGE HALL on page 12 JOSH DARR
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