Benches on the Avenue Draw Community Closer

On a mid-summer morning, locals and tourists bond over a photo opportunity in historic downtown Tinley Park.

"Will you take a picture of my grandson and me with the Blues Brothers?" a graying gentleman wearing a Mets t-shirt giddily asks a young business woman at the corner of 173rd Street and Oak Park Avenue. Her father is a Mets fan too, she says as the boy and his granddad pose in front of the bright renderings vaguely resembling Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.

The Blues Brothers bench, titled "Historic Route 66," was designed by Roger Gerencir. Gerencir, a retired high school art teacher from Joliet, is a six-time participant in Tinley Park's "Benches on the Avenue."

Since 2004, the village of Tinley Park has paired local artists with local businesses who sponsor the design of benches to line Oak Park Avenue from late spring to early autumn. Prizes are awarded in categories such as "Best Young Artist" and "Best Family Project," but the real winners are the locals who get to enjoy the benches and the local businesses that benefit from the tourism the artwork attracts.

When the benches are unveiled each May, tourists and locals alike flock to the Avenue to take pictures and videos. Many stop along the way to grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants along the way. In an economy where local staples like Bogart's and Casablanca Steak House have left Oak Park Avenue, the village benefits greatly by drawing people in with community projects such as these.

2011's theme was "America the Beautiful," to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. Besides the Blues Brothers, creations featured the Statue of Liberty, Mark Twain, Mount Rushmore, NASA and Abraham Lincoln. Local artists Debra Scinto, Ron Iacono and Len Scinto dedicated their bench to "Welcoming Home Our Heroes," complete with photographs of troops and veterans.

Past year's themes have included "Classic TV," "Hooray for Hollywood" and "A World of Travel Treasures." All have drawn the community closer.