With Federal and State Funds

ROCK ISLAND MOVES AHEAD

By
Jack Fogel

THE CITY OF Rock Island, Parks and Recreation Department is one of the few remaining major Parks and Recreation operations in the State of Illinois, functioning under the Cities and Villages Recreation Tax and the City Park Tax.

Rock Island's 50,000 plus population is part of Illinois Northwestern Quad-Cities Metropolitan area consisting of Moline, East Moline, Silvis, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River and Davenport and Bettendorf on the Iowa side. The entire Metropolitan urbanized area covers a population density of 265,000.

River Front Community

Rock Island is a typical river front community presently experiencing growing pains in light industry, commercial and residential expansion. Along with this expansion, all forms of municipal services are in turn feeling the demand for various public requirements. Parks and Recreation has become one of the major components in this communities needs, not only in the newly proposed and partially developed southwest expansion area, carrying an estimated 20,000 population potential by 1990, but also in the older established neighborhoods.

Approximately 90% of Rock Island's major park holdings, prior to 1966, consisted of donated lands by prominent area residents of years past and developed by P.W.A.-W.P.A. work forces. These facilities by middle to late 1960's were showing considerable wear through both use and misuse, as well as being outdated, based on the new recreation trends.

Financial conditions, as in most communities, were hard pressed. Yet through professional and public demand, considerable work had to be done to upgrade, rehabilitate and expand the recreation outlets to meet both present and future needs.

In order to accomplish this, and yet not risk the possible defeat of referendums and their tax increase, investigation began as to the various Federal and State Financial programs available. In the meantime, the Illinois Legislature passed favorable legislation to increase the Park Tax from .058 to .075 and the Recreation Tax from .059 to .09, a program fostered by the I.P.R.S. Legislative Committee. The combination of these two new outlets opened the door for a systimatic long range program of capital improvements. It was anticipated that "tax warrants" would be a necessary evil but their issuance would be planned and provisions for control made.

In 1965, a small 100 acre privately owned 18 hole golf course was leased by the Department. With this as a start and the increased play experienced, a successful revenue bond issue was passed in 1967 to purchase and develop a $500,000.00 golf course complex on a newly purchased 200 acre tract of land. H.U.D. and the Open Space Land Purchase Program participated for $100,000.00, our first contact with so called "outside" money.

Jack Fogel is Director of Parks and Recreation, for the City of Rock Island.

Before and After pictures shows what Urban Beautification Act (Federal Funds) made possible for the residence of one section of the city of Rock Island.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 16 November/December, 1972

In 1968, the Urban Beautification Program was initiated with a $400,000.00, 6 year facility rehabilitation schedule plan. In accordance with H.U.D. guidelines, work began in low to middle low income areas. Neighborhood playgrounds began seeing new restrooms and supervisory shelters, playground equipment, modern security lighting, hard surface play areas, ball fields, paths, drinking fountains and carefully landscaped grounds. Old buildings and structures were removed, difficult maintenance obstacles and landscape problems were eliminated to reduce high maintenance costs. The costs were not only reduced but attractive facilities were created.

Approximately 50 acres of Mississippi shoreline, that was once a dumping and dredging site, was carefully graded and filled. Selected tree and undergrowth material was removed and additional landscaping provided. Roads, parking areas, picnic facilities and lighting were added to preserve a most attractive one mile shoreline of the great Mississippi River.

As part of this river front project the Illinois Department of Conservation participated in a $120,000.00 small boat launching area; financed with Boaters Motor Fuel Tax Funds. Two carefully designed ramps were constructed, complimentary hard surfaced parking area, security lighting, restrooms connected to city sewer via pumping station, and landscaping completed the entire river front park project.

During the years 1969, 1970 and 1971, the Urban Beautification Program moved in higher income neighborhoods, producing revitalized facilities. New equipment, restrooms, major tree and landscape plantings, flower gardens, paths, sled runs, tennis courts, etc. Additional H.U.D. open space land purchases were made in new subdivisions, bringing about the first complete elementary school-park complex of 15 acres. In addition, several 6 acre neighborhood playgrounds were added to keep pace with anticipated growth.

$120,000 from the State Motor Boat Fuel Tax Fund and $42,000 from Urban Beautification was responsible for the completion of the Marina pictured above.

The 1972 proposal will fall under H.U.D.'s new program "Legacy of Parks". Open space land purchase, the development of same and the Urban Beautification Program are all combined in the new Legacy. Budgets are being prepared to continue work in neighborhood playgrounds plus develop one of the recent land purchases. Thus far, excluding the 1972 draft and the revenue bonds of golf course development, over $540,000.00 of capital improvements and land purchases have been made.

In addition to the above, the Rock Island Park and Recreation Department, is also participating in other federally sponsored programs. The City of Rock Island is one of 147 major communities in the country presently qualified and participating in Model Cities. This program deals specifically with under privileged hard core neighborhoods. As a result, the Department is receiving $40,000.00 annually to conduct Recreation Programs in the Model Cities area. The over all program, not only provides recreation outlets, but hires, trains and supervises Model Cities residents as leaders in the various programs. It has many problems but in turn, solves an equal number.

Under the Emergency Employment Act, full-time maintenance personnel have been added to the park crews at absolutely no cost to the budget. The Neighborhood Youth Corps has also been used but has not reached the level of success as the above mentioned.

Worth "Red Tape"

Federal and state sponsored programs require many rules and regulations, but it has been our experience that the additional "Red Tape" is well worth the effort. Rock Island's Parks and Recreation has shown considerable progress, in the last six years, that would not have been available without the "outside funds". There are many varied programs available through federal and state departments. We are constantly on the alert in our areas of need and the end results are rewarding.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 17 November/December, 1972