Oak Lawn cuts trick-or-treat hours
BY BOB RAKOW Correspondent October 13, 2011 3:26PM
Updated: January 23, 2012 4:15AM
Children in Oak Lawn will have to be off the streets at 7 p.m. on Halloween — one hour earlier than in previous years.
The village board on Tuesday voted 3 to 1 to shorten trick-or-treating hours.
Trustee Alex Olejniczak, who proposed the change, said he talked to several residents who favored the change.
“This isn’t one person. There are a multitude of people who have contacted me,” he said.
He said many senior citizens support the shorter hours because they were concerned about answering their doors after dark. Additionally, most surrounding communities’ trick-or-treating hours end at 7 or 7:30 p.m., Olejniczak said.
“I’ve gotten the wrath of a lot of parents,” Olejniczak said. “I’m really concerned about the safety of the kids. I don’t want to take away anyone’s candy.”
Trustee Carol Quinlan cast the lone vote against the proposal. She said the 8 p.m. cutoff time gave working parents an opportunity to get home and trick or treat with their children.
