Sunflowers to Signage: Oak Park’s New Branding Reflects City’s Bright Future
(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 8, 2026)
Oak Park, MI – The City of Oak Park has a new website and logo, just in time to go along with the community’s newest amenities.
The logo – featuring bold block letters in a sunflower shade of yellow that pops on a locomotive engine black background – was officially revealed Tuesday at the 2026 State of the City event and event hub grand opening.
The Hub is part of a $10 million investment in revitalizing Oak Park’s municipal campus and community gathering spaces. Through the voter-approved Elevate Oak Park initiative, the City has already introduced a new bandshell and the multi-use Event Hub, complete with a commercial kitchen and flexible event space.
Looking ahead, residents can also anticipate a brand-new Community Center featuring a year-round indoor pool, elevated walking track, pickleball courts, gymnasium, fitness and weight rooms, and other modern amenities—including a large curvy yellow slide.
Together, these investments represent a transformational chapter for Oak Park and reinforce the importance of presenting a cohesive, modern identity that reflects the City’s momentum and future vision.
The city also recently celebrated the opening of Oak Park Woods in Shepherd Park. The park was created in partnership with Oakland County Parks. It features a slew of new playground equipment, including a 35ft tall climbing feature. Plus there’s an accessible merry-go-round, pavilion with kitchen area, restrooms, and more. And of course the city’s famous train continues to be a place for kids to climb and play.
The changes have followed investments in other areas of the city. Nine Mile Road- where the new branding was born- has been spruced up, slowed down, and lined with playgrounds, pocket parks, and pedestrian safety features. And Eleven Mile Road has blossomed from a worn-down industrial strip, to a hot spot of public art and eateries.
Before many of these projects came to be, city leaders started with something simple to brighten the city streets – sunflowers!
“When Erik Tungate became City Manager, one of his first initiatives was planting dozens of sunflower beds throughout the community. Those sunflowers quickly became a recognizable part of Oak Park’s identity and a symbol of the optimism and energy taking root across our city,” said Mayor Marian McClellan. “We chose sunflowers because they represent hope, optimism, and resilience. As Oak Park continues to invest in parks, public spaces, and community amenities, it makes sense that those same values would be reflected in our visual identity.”
“This isn’t about replacing who we are—it’s about showcasing who we’re becoming,” said City Manager Erik Tungate. “Our traditional seal honors our history, while our new logo reflects the energy and momentum taking shape across Oak Park. Having both allows us to celebrate our roots while representing all that our community has to offer and the bright future ahead.”
As new projects happened, designers pulled inspiration from the cheerful flowers, incorporating yellow into signage, playscapes, art and more.
The need for a new website just happened to coincide with the physical changes happening in the city. Oak Park Communications Director Brittany Toth came aboard in July 2024. The previous director had already begun work on a new website, but with staff changes, the work had fallen by the wayside.
After years of working with websites, branding, and communications for clients across the country, Toth quickly picked up on the many frustrating parts of the antiquated website.
“When I arrived, it was clear from residents, Council members, and City leadership that a new website was long overdue,” said Toth. “While we operate with a lean Communications team, we made that effort a priority. One of the biggest challenges was that years of outdated content remained online, making it difficult for people to find accurate information. Ordinances change, hours change, and staffing changes. Residents shouldn’t have to sort through outdated pages and documents just to find what they’re looking for.”
There also wasn’t a way to create space for departments that needed more fluid information sharing. Parks and Recreation has ever-changing programming and a need for online registration and payments. The Library has resources and events. And Economic Development needs to effectively share information geared toward the business community.
On top of the website limitations, it simply did not meet recent ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] requirements. Photos need to have alternative descriptions. The site needs to scale up to 200% without losing functionality. And a specific level of contrast must exist so text is readable.
The logo in particular failed to meet the criteria because it did not scale well and did not have appropriate contrast. Other cities have been modernizing their logos and branding materials, leaving those with older logos looking out-of-date. And by switching to a simple two-color design it reduces costs in printing, signage, and other production while also being easier to work with. On social media in particular, the simple graphic design helps Oak Park posts stand out.
The former logo remains as the City’s official seal, continuing to appear on official documents, City facilities, and permanent civic infrastructure, including the Coolidge Road bridge over I-696.
As Oak Park moves forward with a new website, enhanced communications tools, and continued investments in public spaces and community amenities, the new logo serves as a complementary addition to the City’s visual identity. While the seal remains a lasting symbol of Oak Park’s history and tradition, the new logo reflects the energy, optimism, and momentum shaping the City’s future. Together, they tell the full story of Oak Park—honoring where the community has been while celebrating where it’s headed.
