Oswego designates downtown area street for long-time local official, community advocate

The village of Oswego has designated a downtown area street in honor of Dave Krahn, a lifelong village resident, former village trustee and community advocate.

Krahn’s honorary street sign will be placed in front of Veterans Serenity Park at 33 N. Adams St., as Krahn was instrumental in the park’s creation.

Village President Troy Parlier briefly summarized Krahn’s legacy in the village during a village board meeting Aug. 23.

“Krahn’s service to our country and lifelong service to the Oswego community makes him a worthy recipient of an honorary street sign,” Parlier said.

In addition to his service as a village trustee, Krahn served stints as president of the Oswegoland Park District Board of Commissioners, chairman of the Oswego Economic Development Corporation and as a volunteer firefighter with the Oswego Fire Protection District. Growing up, the Oswego High School graduate also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scout of America Oswego Troop 31.

Krahn currently serves as treasurer on the Fox Metro Wastewater Reclamation District Board of Trustees.

Parlier noted Krahn also played a pivotal role in the creation of the Oswegoland Park Foundation and was heavily involved in Oswego Days, a forerunner celebration to the annual PrairieFest.

Parlier said Krahn’s roots in the village run deep, as his family once owned and published the Oswego Ledger. Krahn, who served for a time as editor of the Ledger, also owned a local trophy shop on Main Street, Fox Valley Trophy, with his wife Peggy.

Krahn is also a U.S. Army veteran.

“Mr. Krahn has also been a strong advocate for local veterans and has continued to find ways to honor veterans and the sacrifices they have made,” Parlier said.

Parlier said Krahn was instrumental in bringing the Vietnam Moving Wall to the village in 2017, the creation of Veterans Serenity Park which opened in 2019 along the eat bank of the Fox River in the village’s downtown, and bringing the Middle East conflicts wall of honor to the village in 2021.

Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder, an Oswego resident, thanked the board for recognizing Krahn.

Gryder said he couldn’t think of a better person to honor and spoke of his admiration for Krahn.

Gryder noted several of Krahn’s accomplishments over the years serving in various roles for the village and other organizations.

“The list goes on and on,” Gryder said. “He has helped and touched so many people here in Oswego, I can’t think of a better person to recognize tonight.”

Joe West, a former village trustee who served with Krahn on the Kendall County Veterans Assistance program board, also had kind words about Krahn.

“This is a gentleman I’m proud to call my friend,” West said. “You couldn’t find a better Oswegoan. If anyone ever needs anything in Oswego he’s always the first to volunteer.”

Krahn thanked the board and said it was an incredibly humbling honor. He also thanked his father, his grandfather, his wife Peggy, his daughters and granddaughter.

“My success over the course of time has been surrounding myself with people who are a lot smarter than I am and a lot more creative than I am,” Krahn said. “They’re the ones who made me who I am.”

He said one of the greatest accomplishments in the village was the creation of the economic development corporation, which led to the village securing a competitive pilot program grant.

“A lot of what you’re seeing today in Oswego is a result of those decisions,” Krahn said. ”I’ve always strived to make Oswego a better community than when I found it.”

Krahn said Serenity Park was a labor of love to put together and keep it going. He said said after 125,000 people came to Oswego to see the Vietnam Wall looking for some solace, he saw how impactful it was for the community and that’s where the idea for Veterans Serenity Park came from.