Evergreen Park: a small suburb with a big sense of identity

Little Company of Mary Hospital, the single largest employer in Evergreen Park, has been the birthplace of over 175,000 babies. Completed in 1930, it is the tallest building in the village. In 1950 the hospital was the site of the first human organ transplant.     Photo courtesy of the hospital's office of community relations and development.

Evergreen Park has no representation in the General Assembly, a fact local officials resentfully acknowledge. The southwest Chicago suburb, which shares a border with Chicago on three sides, is split between two House and two Senate districts. All four seats are held by Chicago Democrats. Like many close-in suburban communities, Evergreen Park fell victim to redistricting in 1981, when the Democrats' proposed map was selected. Under this plan House and Senate districts from Chicago extend into the suburbs, allowing the city additional representation in Springfield.

Being represented by Chicagoans poses a problem for local politicians. Robert J. Streit, former Worth Township Republican committeeman, says that Evergreen Park is strongly Republican, although the village board is composed of three Democrats and three Republicans. He says the current legislative maps destroyed any chance of regional GOP representation in Springfield. The former chairman of the Evergreen Park Regular Democratic party, Daniel Donahue, is opposed to the current map because it does not allow suburban representation. "The city Democrats don't care about us," he says. "They give you lip service and then look what they do to you — cut you up like a pie." The House and Senate district boundaries currently cut jaggedly through the community. "It seems to me, as is happening all over Cook County, a lot of suburban Democrats are entertaining the idea of becoming Republican," Donahue says. "You could probably count me in that group." Donahue hopes that Evergreen Park will be returned to one district, grouped mainly with neighboring suburbs, following the 1990 census. "Then maybe we'll have some voting power," he says.

The village was in such a district in 1978, when Mayor Anthony Vacco ran as the Democratic nominee for the state Senate. Vacco, who is in his 20th year as mayor and is currently president of the Illinois Municipal League, ran for the Senate seat in hopes of bringing more representation to Evergreen Park. "I was going to hold both jobs," he says. Vacco says local officials should hold some legislative seats because they are closest to the people and to local problems. Although Vacco lost the 1978 race, he still believes local governments need additional representation. "There certainly should be more local input into the bills they put in," he says. Since redistricting, no local person has served in Springfield — all four lawmakers have been Chicago Democrats. "I'm not saying we don't have good legislators, but they obviously care more for the city than tiny Evergreen Park," Vacco says.

One of those legislators disagrees. "We handle Evergreen Park equally as well as our city role," says Rep. Andrew J. McGann (D-29, Chicago). He cites his work with the village's other representative, James F. Keane (D-28, Chicago), in securing about $4 million in state funds for a renovation of Kedzie Avenue, one of the village's main arteries. Vacco says in the past the community has had to rely on special assessments for road repairs. The village also received a Cook County Community Block Grant for needed repairs on sidewalks.

June 1988 | Illinois Issues | 26

Vacco's biggest complaint is the two sets of laws in Illinois, one set for Chicago and another for the rest of the state. Several Illinois statutes, such as pension funding for municipal employees, have special provisions for municipalities with populations over 500,000. Chicago is the only Illinois city with a population that size. "We have the same problems they do," Vacco says. "Why shouldn't I be treated the same way?"

Evergreen Park has been able to do more on its own since the 1970 Constitution provided home rule. The village lost home rule briefly after the 1980 census, which showed its population had dropped below 25,000. Home rule was restored through referendum. Under its home-rule power, the village board established a 1 percent sales tax.

The village has used some of the additional money for several community services. It owns and operates a community center that houses a youth commission, a recreation department and a senior services group. The youth commission organizes activities regularly and has a recreation room open after school and two evenings each week. "Our No. 1 function is guidance," says Director Ellen Thompson. The commission also works to find part-time jobs for teenagers.

The senior services are even more active. With over 30 percent of the population age 60 or older, Evergreen Park is considered the "oldest village" in the state. Director Virginia I. Wrobel proudly notes the number of services Evergreen Park provides for its senior citizens. It helps with financial services, refers seniors to public aid and to the village food pantry, acts as an intermediary between seniors and government agencies and provides bus service four days each week to doctors' offices, grocery stores, banks and other places the seniors need to visit. Wrobel says senior citizens were upset with the federal tax reform package passed last year because it singled them out by lowering their exemptions. "They are not going to be very happy about any [state income] tax increase," she says.

Local schools have enjoyed community support through referendum approvals and are not in need of more state dollars. In fact, the State Board of Education considers Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124 to be wealthy. "When the state says 'wealthy,' I think that has to be qualified," says Supt. Thomas W. Eson. He says the district is wealthy because people are willing to help, referring to a property tax referendum that was approved in 1980, despite the large number of senior citizens in the community and the fact that 40 percent of the students attend parochial schools. Eson and Evergreen Park Community High School Dist. 231 Supt. Omer W. Renfrow believe more money is needed for education statewide. Both districts' boundaries are contiguous with the village boundaries. "While our district is able to operate, I'm still interested in the financial condition of the state," Eson says. Renfrow would also like to see an elimination of some educational bureaucracy. He says the office of Cook County superintendent of schools is unnecessary and burdensome. "He doesn't serve Chicago at all, but Chicago elects him," he says.

State mandates have been a source of trouble for the village. Vacco says state inspectors insisted that the current police station be enlarged to meet requirements for larger cells, but attempts to secure state dollars for the project were unsuccessful. "They pass the mandates and promise to provide the money, but when you ask for it they always find a reason to turn you down," Vacco says. Rep. McGann says attempts are still being made to secure Build Illinois money for the project.

Evergreen Park covers only about 3.5 square miles, but the population is over 22,000. "We're strictly a bedroom and window community," Vacco says in reference to the mainly single-family housing units. The four main streets through the village are filled with small retail shops that do most of their business with Chicagoans and neighboring suburbanites. Evergreen Plaza shopping mall, the first enclosed mall in the area, is a main anchor for businesses. "There are only a few vacant stores, and they don't stay vacant long," Vacco says.

The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce serves as a social gathering for business leaders and works with the local government to plan village activities. "We're probably one of the most active chambers in the area," says chamber president Laura Shallow. Although a member of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, the Evergreen Park chamber is mainly interested in local and regional activities. "We're not really tuned into state issues," Shallow says. Unlike downstate communities, Evergreen Park does not have vacant land available to attract large industries to the community.

"We have our own identity, but it tends to blend in with the area," Shallow says. The village, like many other suburbs, was formed by asserting its independence from Chicago. After World War II the population of the region skyrocketed, and Evergreen Park was no exception. Yet despite being a small part of a large metropolitan area, the community has its own spirit. "I think every suburb still has a sense of community, and Evergreen Park probably has more," says Kenneth J. Ozinga, president of the First National Bank of Evergreen Park, the bank his grandfather opened in 1949. He says the contiguous school district and village boundaries add to the sense of community. He also says being non-Chicago adds to an identity.

But while Evergreen Park may take pride in being separate from the city of Chicago, the village will continue to have Chicago representatives in the General Assembly at least until the next redistricting in 1991.□

Brett D. Johnson is pursuing a master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting from Sangamon State University. He is a 1987 graduate of Illinois Wesley an University, Bloomington.

June 1988 | Illinois Issues | 27