CROWING ...

By Phillip A. Grisolia

No LAND, no money, no real reason to hope . . . but a lot of vision, the stuff dreams are built of. That was the sum total of assets belonging to the Wood Dale Park District when it came into being some five short years ago in suburban Chicagoland.

For the 12,000 people in and around the small city of Wood Dale, those who made up the district, November 18, 1972 will mark not only the 5th Anniversary of the park district, but a milestone of progress as well.

The district's accomplishments to date read like a dream come true.

—A comprehensive Master Plan for Parks and Recreation, completed in August 1969, and a sound guideline for future growth.

—Passage of a $485,000 Land Acquisition and Park Improvement Referendum in February, 1970.

—Signing of a Park District —School District agreement in June, 1970 wherein Parks are able to use School gymnasiums and class rooms for recreation programs in return for maintaining outdoor school property.

—Receipt of $135,000 in Federal Funds for land acquisition, the result of an application approved by the Illinois Department of Conservation in April, 1971.

—Completion of a functional and attractive $326,000 swimming pool complex and park in May, 1971.

—A total of 7 park sites, some 30 acres in all, with both recreation areas and open space.

—Negotiations under way for an additional 25 acres of land within the district to accommodate not only today's residents, but tomorrow's as well, via a system of neighborhood parks for both active recreation and quiet relaxation.

—A current assessed tax evaluation in excess of $40,000,000, up from the 1967 base of $27,000,000.

It has all come to pass in a relatively short 5-year span . . . but not without the cooperation and enthusiasm of countless people.

Therein lies the secret of progress . . . people, people willing to work together, listen to each other and to pool their energy for a common goal.

Wood Dale's progress was not the result of old park "pros" seeking to build memorials to their profession. It was instead the pooling of talent of concerned "pros," beginners and often rank amatuers who sought to develop—and ultimately did— a park program to serve the particular needs of their community.

Starting with a Master Plan conceived for the most part by young Alien Caskey, ARC Associates — Parks and Recreation Planner, the concept began to take form.

Aided by attorney Donald Kreger, who has been the legal eagle for the district since its formation, the Master Plan was put into practice.

Neighboring Park and Municipal officials such as John Varble and Bob Nichols of Bensenville also played a role in Wood Dale's progress.

So did Mike Judd, hired as the district's first Director of Parks.

And then there were the Park Commissioners . . . Bill McDowell, Don Mazur, Dr. John Perkinson, Jo Kuffel, Jim Mixon, Dan Hall, Lou Musial, Barbara Buedel . . . and Park Directors Frank McCoy, Jack Claes, and John Kocourek who also gave of time and energy.

Not to be forgotten are the dozens of other people from village officials to local residents who gave so freely of themselves in the Wood Dale Park District's parade of progress.

This is the thing park districts are made of ... people who refuse to admit defeat when told their goal is impossible to attain, people working together to benefit other people.

Philip A. Grisolia, is an interested resident of the Wood Dale Park District.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 25 November/December, 1972