Yesterday I went to village hall for the first time in a few years and was shocked by what I saw. Instead of the sunny open atrium and welcoming building I remembered, I encountered a fortress that might have been appropriate at the height of COVID, but not now. The people I spoke with talked to me from behind plexiglass barriers and the entire atmosphere was extremely unwelcoming.
No wonder there was discussion about possibly tearing the building down. If I walked into that building every day as it is now, I would not feel very positive about it either. Like the Metra station, one wonders what impression this must give others about Oak Park. When are those barriers going to be removed and village hall return to its former appearance?
It’s past time.
Joyce Porter
Oak Park