JOURNAL W E D N E S D A Y
WATC H I N G ‘A M E R I C A T O M E : ’ E P I S O D E III, PAGE 10
of Oak Park and River Forest
September 12, 2018 Vol. 39, No. 6 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
Big price tag for OPRF facilities plan
The first 3 of 5 phases of 10-year plan to cost estimated $145M By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
For the first time since it formed in August 2017 to develop a long-term master facilities plan at Oak Park and River Forest High School, the Imagine OPRF working
group has released hard cost estimates and a draft 10-year master plan. The plan is divided into five different “sequences” that would allow it “to be implemented flexibly over a 6-10 year period,” according to documentation released by Imagine OPRF on Sunday. “The sequences are designed to enable [the] school to function during construction, to have facilities reasonably whole during periods between sequences, and to allow pauses between some sequences to give students, faculty and staff respite be-
tween construction projects,” according to the documentation. Cost estimates are only available for the first three construction sequences, which cover a four-year schedule. The estimated cost of the projects within those first three sequences totals roughly $145 million. During an interview on Sept. 9, a day before they were scheduled to present the plan to the District 200 school board, Imagine OPRF co-chairs Lynn Kamenitsa and Mike Poirier explained why the group did not provide cost estimates beyond the first three sequences.
“We do not have cost estimates for sequences four and five because they’re further down the road,” Kamenitsa said. “There are a lot of things that can change between now and then; not only in terms of what the costs might be, but in terms of the plan. A master plan is a living document. This is the best we have right now.” According to Imagine OPRF documents, the cost estimates for the first three sequences of the draft plan were derived from See XXX on page 13
Economy Shop marks a century of super deals Popular resale business also still benefits local charities By MICHELLE DYBAL
S
Contributing Reporter
hoppers carry their new-found treasures in bundles, some filled with clothing, one tote stuffed with jigsaw puzzles. They exchange stories. ”I once got a book marked $75 for $2,” says one man. They bring craft supplies and pillow cases and dishes and watches and toys and electronics to the volunteers in each of 16 organized rooms to pay for their finds on this first sale of the season on Sept. 6. It’s a special day because it marks the start of the Economy Shop’s 100th Anniversary Celebration. The Economy Shop was started in April 1919 by women who saw a need for items no longer needed to be sold See ECONOMY SHOP on page 15
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
BARGAIN HUNTERS: Customers shop in the Warehouse Department of the Economy Shop. There are 16 departments with more than 10,000 items, all obtained through donations.