Over and again, Forest Park finds small but meaningful ways to prove out its genuine sense of community. We’re reporting on a couple of them this week.
If ever a local watering hole reflected its community it was McGaffer’s. A saloon not a bar. With a proprietor, Pat Malone, who was a welcoming presence across decades.
McGaffer’s closed late last year after Malone took a serious fall at his establishment. He has been slowly recuperating from a head injury and, as he told our Bill Dwyer last week, he has good days and not-so-good days.
That won’t stop him, though, from being front and center on May 31 when the village’s public works crew hangs an honorary street sign at the corner of Roosevelt and Troost to recognize both Malone and his saloon.
Sal Stella, the village’s public works chief, said this has a lot of meaning for him and his crew as McGaffer’s was the place they gathered for a Friday afternoon beer after work. And Stella, like the legions of Forest Park softball players, also favored McGaffer’s after a game at The Park.
So good job by the village to recognize Malone as one of those people who, year after year, gave Forest Park its character, its warmth and its sense of place.
Meanwhile, our public library continues its efforts to push out beyond its walls at Jackson and Desplaines and reach artists, trivia buffs and, now, dog lovers wherever they gather.
That led the library to build a little dog library and install it at the Forest Park Dog Park on Circle at the Ike. And then the village’s recreation board and the library organized a dog parade last Saturday from the library to the dog park.
Now this little library does include some dog-themed books. Mainly though it includes free dog toys, puppy treats, poop bags, lightly used dog clothes and collars and, of course, tennis balls. The library was built by Geoff Binns Calvey, husband of Amy, chair of the rec board. Among the special touches is a profile of Greg, the family dog who passed a few years back at the age of 17.
Alicia Hammond, the library’s community engagement manager, knew that dog lovers are a solid library constituency after last summer’s pet bandana giveaway. Forest Parkers then submitted pictures of their bandana-clad pets which turned up on the library’s Facebook page.
Hammond described the dog library as “something a little unexpected for the library. We like to figure out new ways to keep people interested in the community.”
And they do.