06/19/2025
Recording Available! Olmsted's Riverside: Embracing Nature in City Planning (and a Nice Walk)
The APA-IL Chicago Metro Section hosted "Olmsted's Riverside: Embracing Nature in City Planning (and a Nice Walk)," on June 11, 2025, coinciding with the Village's sesquicentennial celebration.
Click here to watch the presentation (YouTube).
This sold out event featured presentations by Douglas Pollock, AICP, and Benjamin Sells, Riverside's current and past Village President, respectively. Their inspirational talk focused on concepts of placemaking and discussed Frederick Law Olmsted's vision for people and nature working together to create community. After their presentations, Olmsted and Riverside aficionados, Jim Petrzilka and Cathy Jean Maloney, led us on a walking tour to see those concepts in practice. Thanks to all who participated, and congrats on 150 years!
SPEAKERS:
- Douglas Pollock, AICP, Riverside Village President. (He/him/his), Doug is a city planner currently doing planning consulting for MGT Impact Solutions. Doug was previously the Village Administrator for the Village of Burr Ridge, IL and did planning work for Burr Ridge, the Village of Lombard, IL, and the City of Indianapolis. His current work with MGT has included stints in Orland Park, Park Ridge, Fox Lake, Huntley, Woodridge, Westmont, Rolling Meadows, Lincolnwood, and Barrington Hills. Doug is the current Village President of the Village of Riverside, Illinois.
- Benjamin Sells, Past Riverside Village President. Benjamin is a writer, psychotherapist, lawyer, and former Village President of Riverside, Illinois. He is also a sailing captain and owner of Chicago’s oldest sailing school. He has written ten books, including The Soul of the Law, one of the most important work-life balance books in the history of the legal profession, that was recently reissued in a special 20th anniversary edition. His latest book is The Lonely Mind: America and its Discontents. Ben has also written books on Chicago history including A History of the Chicago Portage and The Tunnel Under the Lake.