CALL FOR ACTION

(Editor's Note: The following letter was sent by Ted Kavadas, as President of the Illinois Park and Recreation Foundation.)

THE HONORABLE DAN WALKER The Executive Mansion Springfield, Illinois 62701

Dear Governor:

I would like to share with you an idea that, with your support would be a major step towards assisting our local park and recreation agencies throughout the State in providing adequate open space and recreation programs to serve present and future generations.

As you are aware, our local park districts do not receive any State or Federal aid in the operational aspects of Park and Recreation. A few scarce Federal dollars are available for land acquisition and through your efforts, House Bills 966 and 967 were enacted this year.

However, the total dilemma facing our local park systems cannot be solved unles a vigorous study of the total problem of local open space and adequate funding for recreational programs can be scrutinized by our General Assembly.

The tax rates for park districts are about the same today as they were thirty years ago and the shortage of local open space to serve cities and counties is accelerating to a point of well over 150,000 acres throughout the State.

I do believe that a legislative study committee is needed to study this entire problem and provide to the General Assembly and to your office a number of recommendations to head off the pending crisis facing many of our local park systems.

The study commission would be appointed by your office with an equal number of legislators and lay people. A funding requirement, in the amount of $60,000 would be needed to employ a competent working staff to assist in the study and provide information for analysis by the study commission.

A thorough study with appropriate recommendation for General Assembly action would provide the measures necessary to preserve our local park systems which have been the pride of Illinois.

A comprehensive look at local parks and recreation is desperately needed if this State is to ever have adequate local resources. The study should not take more than one year and should provide all of us with reliable information as to a proper course of action.

Very truly yours,

THEODORE M. KAVADAS President, Illinois Park and Recreation Foundation

Illinois Parks and Recreation 16 January/February, 1974