Sterling Park District Dedicates Marina

Broad view of Sterling Park District's new Oppold Marina which was dedicated April 23.
The new facility is now open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The Harry Oppold Marina in Sterling was officially dedicated Sunday, April 23 with a crowd of over 1,000 in attendance.

The Sterling Park District facility was made possible through the joint efforts of many people and organizations including the U. S. Corps of Engineers, the Department of Conservation and numerous local residents and organizations who made substantial contributions of time and supplies.

Present for the dedication ceremonies were many prominent persons from throughout the state including: The Park District Board, William Eberley, President; James Frasor, Vice President; James Glafka, Dr. Jack Webb and Neal Wick; Ted Kavadas, Department of Conservation; Eugene Berghoff, Illinois Association of Park Districts; State Representatives Kenneth Miller, Tobias Barry, and David Shapiro; Congressman Thomas Railsback and David Wiener, Landscape Architect for the project and now Director of the ElmhurstPark District.

The marina is now in full operation and providing another important public service.

NEW PESTICIDE DEVELOPED

University of Illinois researchers have developed DDT-type pesticides which apparently have the ability of DDT to kill insects without the undesirable side effects.

Dr. Robert L. Metcalf, head of the five-year research effort, was honored at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Boston early in April for the discovery. He has been named to receive the International Award for Research in Pesticide Chemistry.

About 100 DDT analogs—or relatives — have been developed, of which 10 or 12 "have solid commercial potential," Metcalf said in an interview with the Associated Press.

Even though development of these new pesticides was completed last year, Metcalf said, no manufacturer has yet obtained a production license from the University of Illinois Foundation, which holds the patent rights.

Japanese firms have expressed more interest in them than American firms have, he said.

The DDT-type pesticides can be produced in existing facilities for manufacturing DDT, some of which are idle—about to be—because of government restrictions on the use of this pesticide.

DDT is a persistent man-made chemical which is passed along in the food chain and stored in animal fat.

Although the effects of DDT on the human body are not known, it has killed many wildlife species— especially fish and birds—and has caused birds to lay eggs with shells too weak to hatch.

Some mammals, including rats, mice, hamsters, dogs and monkeys, have been shown to develop cancer, birth defects and genetic mutations in laboratory studies with DDT.

Development of DDT substitutes which are effective has been considered of prime importance throughout the world to reduce the large-scale ecological damage which results from use of DDT.

Use of the pesticide to kill flies and mosquitoes and other insects has been an important factor in reduction of malaria and other diseases and in increasing food production by cutting losses from insect damage.

The World Health Organization, which has requested samples of the University of Illinois DDT analogs, recently warned that the banning of DDT before cheap, effective substitutes are developed could be "a disaster to world health." About 400 million pounds of DDT is produced annually worldwide.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 15 July/August, 1972