Riverdale approves $500,000 county grant for street and alley remediation work

Riverdale’s board of trustees approved a $500,000 grant for local street and alley improvements and honored police officers for commendable service during its Oct. 27 board meeting. 

The board approved a subrecipient agreement with Cook County’s Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for a $500,000 grant for local infrastructure improvements. 

The grant will be used for several arteries, including resurfacing Park St. between 144th and 145th streets, and repairing a T alley between 138th and 139th streets, north and south, and School and Atlantic streets, east and west. Village engineer Chuck Hodges announced that the village received additional funding for the alley repairs during the Oct. 13 meeting.

Impacted residents will receive a letter notifying them of the project, Hodges said. The village will hold a pre-construction meeting when work begins, and the contractor will be responsible for delivering day-to-day notifications to residents. There won’t be any street parking restrictions for this project, according to Hodges.

The village must return the signed agreement along with a completed FFATA form to Cook County by Monday, Nov. 9 during a CDBG recipient workshop. Work is slated to begin in 2027.

Officers awarded for exemplary service

Riverdale Deputy Police Chief Rodney Owens presented awards to officers who “have served beyond the call of duty,” said acting mayor Cassandra Riley-Pinkey. “I am very proud of all of you,” Riley-Pinkey said. “As far as I’ve heard, you’ve been getting it right.”

Officer Daniel Lopez received an honorable mention for taking part in a life-saving overdose intervention. On Sept. 18, Lopez was called to respond to a reported opioid overdose and administered one dose of Narcan to the subject at the scene. The subject regained responsiveness before being transported to UChicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital for medical treatment. 

Owens described Lopez’s efforts as “instrumental” to reversing the effects of the overdose and preventing a fatal outcome. “Officer Lopez demonstrated exceptional situational awareness, sound judgment, and a commitment to preserving human life.” 

Lopez received the MADD Hero award for his dedication to road safety through DUI enforcement in 2023.

The patrol division and detectives’ division were recognized for their work related to a criminal sexual assault on Aug. 25. After responding to the call, the patrol division searched for and apprehended the offender who had fled the scene. Both divisions worked together to interview witnesses, collect evidence, and present a case before the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. 

“Through effective communication, sound judgment, and coordinated tactics, the officers were able to safely apprehend and secure the offender without further incident,” Owens said.

Other official business

The board approved corporate bills through Oct. 23, 2026, amounting to $1,244,152.07.

Trustees finalized a sale agreement with the Riverdale Public Library District to purchase a vacant lot located on 200-206 W. 114th St. The library district has previously used the space for outdoor community events and will continue to do so with the purchase.

The board approved a resolution authorizing the execution of a memorandum of understanding between the village and the trustees of Riverdale’s police pension fund. The resolution was introduced during the Sept. 22 meeting but was tabled. The details of the resolution were not discussed.