W E D N E S D A Y
July 24, 2019 Vol. 39, No. 51 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Prairie-style in Maywood Page 20
Park district raises railroad club’s rent Group must also recruit 27 more Oak Parkers by end of 2020 By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter
When the Park District of Oak Park started the process of buying Dole Center, 255 Augusta St., from the village of Oak Park, one of the issues that came up was the future of the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers (OPSME) model railroad club, which has leased a portion of the basement since 1979. At the time, park district Executive Director Jan Arnold assured the public that they had no intention of kicking the club out. But she did mention that the park district was interested in working with the club to increase the number of Oak Park members. Which the change of ownership taking effect in June, the two entities have negotiated a new lease, which the park district board approved on July 18. The rent will increase and, for the first time ever, the lease includes a membership goal, stating that the club must recruit at least 27 Oak Park residents by the end of 2020. Arnold said that, out of 35 current members, only nine live in Oak Park. “My job is to define the best use and maximize the space for Oak Park residents,” Arnold told park commissioners at their July 11 See RAILROAD on page 15
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
TOP PICK: LeVar J. Ammons, Oak Park and River Forest High School’s new executive director of equity and student success, has already garnered praise for his ability to connect with students - something that made him stand out among candidates for the new job.
OPRF’s new equity director gets to work Ammons is a central part of D200 administration realignment
By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
LeVar J. Ammons started as OPRF’s first executive director of equity and student success in July. The new administrator, whose position was created by the school board back in February, will play a critical
role in implementing the district’s first racial equity policy, which is designed to correct the fact that race has a disproportionate impact on students’ academic outcomes and student experiences at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Ammons worked as a counselor at Willowbrook High School, where he helped
initiate a racial equity strategic plan before coming to OPRF. During an interview last week, Ammons said he was attracted to District 200 in large part because of the “procedures put in place addressing equity,” such as leadership teams and racial See AMMONS on page 14
SUBSCRIBE! O N LY $ 35 A Y E A R !
@OakPark.com/subscribe • Enter “FREE MONTH” in comments for...you guessed it...a FREE month!