Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins is bullish about the possibility of a Forest Park stop on the route of the proposed O’Hare Flyer express train that would connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport.
The train would make its way through Forest Park and neighboring communities at 80 mph every 15 minutes from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. The total travel time from downtown Chicago to the airport would be 15 minutes.
Hoskins envisions an added stop in Forest Park on the north side of the Eisenhower Expressway at a village-owned parking lot that has been underutilized since the pandemic.
“It’s virtually empty most days,” Hoskins said Thursday, adding a stop there would not be related to a proposed CTA refurbishment plan for the nearby Blue Line terminal.
In fact, Hoskins is so bullish about an O’Hare Flyer stop that he sent out an email to residents Wednesday stating his personal view, which was also posted on social media.
In it, he noted that “O’Hare Flyer representatives contacted village hall to discuss their project and the economic benefits it could bring to Forest Park.
“Forest Park offers an ideal location,” the statement continued, “village-owned land adjacent to the CTA Blue Line terminal, providing seamless connections between the airport, the Loop and the western suburbs.
“While many details need to be discussed, the potential benefits are clear. A station located in Forest Park would attract investment, support local businesses, increase property tax values and further establish our village as a regional transportation hub.”
Additionally, the statement said the village has engaged a leading Chicago-area planning agency “to explore available technical assistance.”
In an interview he would not name that agency, though he said there would be no cost to the village for its services.
Communication timing curious
But the timing of that email was a complete surprise to Maria Maxham, village commissioner of accounts and finance.
“I was not informed that these discussions had occurred,” she said, adding the communication left her “very surprised. I would say blindsided.”
In response to the communication, Maxham sent an email to Hoskins and two other village officials late Wednesday that indicated she was apparently out of the loop on the matter.
“I want to be clear that I am not opposed to exploring economic development opportunities for the village, and I understand this project’s potential significance,” she said in her email. “However, I learned of the initiative the same way every other resident did: through a mass email on Sept. 2, 2026.
“I was not consulted prior to the public statement being issued, prior to any conversations with O’Hare Flyer representatives taking place, or prior to a planning agency being engaged on the village’s behalf.”
She then posed seven questions to Hoskins, including:
- Who at village hall participated in conversations with the O’Hare Flyer representatives, and on what dates did those conversations take place?
- Which elected officials, if any, were informed of or participated in these conversations prior to today’s public statement?
- What specific commitments, if any, were made to O’Hare Flyer representatives on behalf of the village?
According to Maxham, Hoskins’ response to her noted that “the project owners asked us to sign a non-disclosure agreement. I signed their document.
“The village has not incurred any costs in communicating with the project owners. No commitments were made on behalf of the village. There is no specific parcel of land at issue.”
He also thanked her for offering her support.
“It seems he won’t tell me anything,” Maxham said. “(Regarding) any transparency he made in his statement to the residents, how can you be transparent if you’ve already signed an NDA with the developer?
“I’m an elected official and I feel like I should have this information.”
She also said shortly before the statement was sent out, she had received a communication from a village resident expressing concerns about multiple things related to the project, including potential diminishment of quality of life and decrease in property values.
Who was involved?
Maxham underscored that she is “very interested in the project.
“I do see the potential for economic benefits it could bring, but for me, it’s far too premature to support it or oppose it,” she said. “I know that neighboring towns like River Forest are against it.”
Jessica Voogd, commissioner of public property, said Friday she didn’t review Hoskins’ statement before it was sent out, but did say she had “sat in on one meeting in April” with Hoskins and David Lundy, O’Hare Flyer LLC co-founder and CEO, along with members of his team.
“They were just sharing their proposal for the Flyer,” Voogd said. “I think Mr. Lundy said he’s been reaching out to all stakeholders that could be impacted or involved.”
Voogd added she was aware that Hoskins was considering distributing a statement. Additionally, in her discussions with him and Lundy, she emphasized the process of public outreach.
“I did stress in the short meeting with Mr. Lundy, if their plan goes forward, community engagement with Forest Park will be important,” she said.
When reached via text Friday, Michelle Melin-Rogovin, commissioner of streets and public improvement, also noted the possibilities for the village.
“This project has a lot of moving parts and a great deal of potential, it seems, for Forest Park,” she said. “I’m committed to ensuring that this project includes public participation and engagement as the project develops.”
Lundy said late Thursday that he agreed with Hoskins’ statement.
“I thought it was great,” he said. “What he put out was a statement of aspiration and he wouldn’t have put that out if we hadn’t been talking about this.
“But talking isn’t the same as planning and procuring. The first filter is, it’s really important to deliver people in 15 minutes.”
He was also adamant that no specifics about a stop have been discussed with the village.
“We can’t commit to anything yet, because more analysis needs to be done,” he said.
Voogd said she wants a community discussion about the matter, either via a town hall meeting or an agenda item on an upcoming board meeting.
Still, Hoskins defended the timing of his statement, noting that a mayor “to some extent speaks for the village, so it’s the benefit for the village.
“I didn’t consult with all of the commissioners,” he said. “The project is subject to confidentiality. We’ll have public meetings.”
Hoskins was recently appointed to the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority board. The agency, created by the state legislature, will take on oversight of the CTA, Metra and Pace. Hoskins was chosen for a five-year term on the board by Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County board. His term began on Sept. 1.