by Eugene Berghoff

The Association was organized on March 9, 1928, as a section of the Illinois Municipal League. In 1931 the Association became a separate organization and in 1953, it employed its first full-time executive administrator.

From a small start of 16 park districts the Association has grown to become a nonprofit corporation with membership comprised of park districts, recreation agencies of municipalities, townships, forest preserve and conservation districts, and park and recreation divisions of the State.

The question is asked or at least enters the minds of every member, why we should join or maintain membership in the Association? This not only applies to our Association, but to every membership body and every organization. It is a fair question—and every district or individual board member should be informed as to the type of organization he belongs to, services available, and its future goals.

What about the Illinois Association of Park Districts? Are individual needs being met? Is there an issue to concern park, conservation, forest preserve districts and other public recreation agencies?

Briefly, the ISSUES are:

a. Illinois is experiencing a growing population. More crucial urban issues require working together if these problems are to be solved in the best interest of the people of Illinois.

b. With the increased population, the use of our local park facilities is at a maximum level with many citizens demanding the improvement of existing facilities or construction of new ones to eliminate the overcrowded conditions. This, of course, would require additional revenue sources which can only be provided through a successful legislative program.

c. The energy crisis appears to be with us for some time and this would indicate less traveling and vacationing by citizens of your district, with these individuals remaining at home to use the park and recreation areas within easy driving distance of their homes.

d. Changing governmental structure at the Federal and State levels requires a greater interest by local park and recreation officials and your Association to close ranks and to meet the ever-increasing demands.

e. Pressure is already being felt by some districts in providing sufficient revenues to become more involved in environmental improvements, civic beautification, improvements of streams and waterways.

Services provided include legal and legislative counseling, communications through the bi-monthly magazine, Executive Vice President's reports, Legislative Representative's reports; seminars and conferences; field services; group health and life insurance programs; surveys and studies; and public relations. A united Association is needed to advance the interest of the park, recreation, and conservation movement by maintaining a good public image and making outstanding accomplishments well known.

As our membership increases, we will improve the services available which would include a field representative for the Chicago metropolitan area, improvement of law enforcement services to park and recreation agencies, a more effective placement and employment services and a centralized informational service, better organized training seminars, and a constant improvement of all publications.

The Board of Directors, at their January 25, 1975 meeting, instructed our General Counsel to review the possibility of establishing a building fund which, sometime in the future, could provide the necessary monies to construct an Association headquarters building in Springfield.

The Association can only reach these goals through the efforts and involvement of all districts in Illinois.

The services cannot be economically rendered and kept up to satisfactory standards unless there is a volume to bring costs down to a reasonable level. Signify your intentions by becoming involved. This means attending seminars and the conference, reviewing every publication and other communication received from the Association office, and using the facilities presently available to assist you in solving your local problems.

With population pressures, increasing leisure time, and growing concern for a better environment, the growth rate of agencies concerned with parks and recreation has also increased. The challenge for the future will be for order in growth, efficiency in management, ability to obtain sufficient open space, and to construct and operate recreation facilities to fulfill the aspirations of people seeking park and recreation services.

The Association is a vehicle to bring together all agencies in Illinois concerned with the advancement of parks, recreation, and conservation and to provide the unity needed to meet the challenges of the future.

How well park and recreation services fare will depend to a large extent on how well we work together in a common interest ... in this Association.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 May/June, 1975