Oak Park Leaf Collection Starts October 16

OAK PARK, IL — There's a chill in the air and the sound of leaves underfoot. Fall has definitely made its arrival in Oak Park and with it the village's annual leaf collection. According to the Oak Park village website, close to 2,000 tons (that's 4,000,000 pounds!) of leaves are picked up each season. This year, leaf collection begins Monday, October 16 and lasts through Thursday, November 30.

The village needs residents to help make sure that this year's leaf cleanup efforts run smoothly. If you have leaves for collection, here's how to get them ready for pickup:

* Keep leaves on your parkway until the scheduled day of pickup

* On pickup day, rake leaves into the street and make sure they're at least 18 inches from the curb

* Dampen the leaves to prevent them from blowing around.

* If you miss your pickup day, keep the leaves in the parkway until the following week.

* Keep leaf piles free of other brush, including branches, pumpkins, and other compostable items.

Motorists are urged to use caution when driving before leaf pickup as the leaf accumulation can be hazardous. The village website notes that parking restrictions will be firmly enforced, so be sure to avoid parking near leaf piles or where parking restrictions are posted.

To help ease the leaf lugging burden, residents should consider composting leaves or using them as garden fertilizer whenever possible, Oak Park officials recommend.

For a list of your quadrant's pickup times and more information about this year's leaf collection, visit the Village of Oak Park website.