“I love this community. This is quite the honor,” said Jim Nadeau at the unveiling of a street sign in his name at the corner of Dunlop Avenue and Roosevelt Rd. on June 6.
“Jim Nadeau Way” is now the honorary street name at that intersection, after the street sign unveiling and commemoration, which brought dozens of people out in over 90-degree weather. Half a block away, at 7623 Roosevelt Rd., a sculpture glistened as it melted in the sun in front of Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures, Inc.
According to Mayor Rory Hoskins, who led the event, the street renaming is to James Nadeau “for founding a small business that has brought so much positive attention to Forest Park. Nadeau’s is among the Midwest’s largest full-time providers of ice sculptures.”
Nadeau retired over a year ago and has since moved out of town, leaving the business to Max Barajas, who lives with his family in Forest Park.
Nadeau’s work has been displayed all over Forest Park, including at library and holiday events. But its artistry and reach extend beyond town to other celebrations, such as Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual Zoo Lights and the Chicago Cubs World Series after-party at Navy Pier, both of which featured Nadeau sculptures.
Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures, Inc. was founded in 1980, and moved to 7623 Roosevelt Rd. eight years later. Prior to opening the business, Nadeau had a corporate job with the Marriott hotel chain. He told the Review in 2018 that when he began carving ice, he used a hand chipper and his fingers would bleed. Now, the business has upgraded and uses machines that trim and cut and help sculpture 300-pound blocks of ice.
