Seniors-Only DMV Center moves into Bridgeview Community Center

By Steve Metsch

Anyone 65 and older can take advantage of a new Seniors-only DMV office located in the Bridgeview Community Center.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias last week cut the ribbon opening the new senior-focused facility.

“This is a very exciting day for seniors in Bridgeview and for seniors across the state,” he said January 9.

Seniors, without making appointments, can renew their licenses, get a state ID and REAL ID cards, buy vehicle registration stickers, take in-car driving tests, register as organ and tissue donors, and register for voting.

A similar site had been open since September in SeatGeek Stadium, but that lease expired at year’s end.

A new site was needed and Giannoulias wanted it to remain in Bridgeview to serve the southwest suburbs.

Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek thought the community center, 7902 S. Oketo Ave., made for the ideal location.

“They don’t need to go upstairs (as at SeatGeek). The parking is closer. It’s more compact. The flow will be faster and the seniors will enjoy it,” Landek said.

Giannoulias said the SeatGeek location “was meant to be temporary, it was a pilot program.”

Other senior locations in Evanston, Westchester and Calumet Township proved “incredibly popular,” Giannoulias said.

“They like knowing they’ll be taken care of immediately. We never imagined they’d be this popular,” he said.

“Now, they have a place to call their own,” Giannoulias said.

Bridgeview will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Chances are you will see Fabian Fuentes, 35, of Bridgeview, a public service representative who had the same job at SeatGeek.

“It went very well. A lot of seniors came there,” Fuentes said.

According to the Secretary of State’s office, more than 9,000 seniors visited the SeatGeek site in four months. They’re part of the 21,000 statewide at senior sites.

State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-21st) said residents in the north part of the district “say great things about the Westchester location.

He expects the same to be said about Bridgeview.

Bridgerview Trustee Michael Pticek, a senior, renewed his license at SeatGeek and applauds the new location in the community center.

“It’s fabulous,” he said. “Talk about service. Are you kidding me? You went in, you got out and you were done.”

Pticek said it took about 45 minutes from arrival to completion of his on-the-road driving exam.

“This facility is going to be outstanding for seniors,” he added.

Township of Lyons Supervisor Christopher Getty agreed, saying “any time we can assist the seniors, it’s a good thing.”