Rhodell E. Owens

Rhodell E. Owens retires

The name Rhodell E. Owens and parks and recreation have been synonymous—not only in the City of Peoria, Illinois, but in the state and nation as well—for more than a quarter of a century. A career that has spanned four decades of service to the Peoria community will come to a close December 31, 1981, when Owens retires as Director of Parks and Recreation.

In making the announcement of Owens' retirement, Bonnie W. Noble, president of the Park Board, said, "It is with great reluctance that the Park Trustees accepts Rhodell Owens' decision to retire. Under his leadership and guidance, our Park District had achieved national pre-eminence. We realize, however, that for 36 years the Peoria Park District has been the pervasive factor in the Owens family life and the time has now come when they have earned the right to pursue their own personal interests and pleasures."

Early in the 1940's, members of the Peoria Park Board became convinced that Peoria should have professionally-trained leadership to administer its parks and recreation programs. After a nationwide search, Owens, who was on the staff of the Cook County Forest Preserve District, was offered a position as landscape engineer with the Peoria Park District. In 1948 he was made assistant superintendent of the district and in 1952 become its first director-secretary.

When he arrived in Peoria, thirty-six years ago, Owens found a Park District riddled with political favoritism, run-down parks with thousands of blighted trees, two swimming pools that were inoperative, three golf courses and a total of only 2,000 acres belonging to the Park District. He quickly set about the task of renovating and maintaining a park system in which the community could take pride. Owens also persevered in establishing a workable policy manual for Board and Administrative guidance and instituted a campaign to acquire professional staff personnel.

Recognizing the interrelationship of Parks and Recreation, Owens initiated a move to unite recreation services with park systems. Enabling legislation was passed by the Illinois Legislature which paved the way for the merger of the Peoria Recreation Commission with the Peoria Park District in 1963.

Owens realized immediately that if the Park District met its basic charge to provide "opportunities for wholesome recreation for all citizens," maximum use of all resources had to be achieved. Consequently, he initiated a program policy of cooperative planning and programming for the Peoria Area. He, as president of the Greater Peoria Civic Association, requested the formation of the Peoria County Regional Planning Association, which is now the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. Owens was active in the organization of Peoria City Beautiful and remains a charter member.

Another vital program of cooperative use of public facilities for recreation services was developed with the Peoria School system. A vital Park-School agreement was instituted which has been cited as a model for other park systems in the State. Similarly, cooperative use agreements were adopted with the City of Peoria for tree and boulevard maintenance, the public library and the County of Peoria for grounds maintenance.

The Peoria Park District also pioneered in cooperative programming and development with quasi-public bodies such as the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, YWCA, YMCA, Allied Agencies, and other social services. Programs were also developed with several industries within the area. By 1970, more than one hundred such cooperative ventures were underway with the Park District.

Thirty years ago several cultural organizations—the Peoria Art Guild, the Peoria Academy of Sciences, the Peoria Regional Museum' Society, Peoria Garden Club and others—were invited by Owens to use the venerable old Glen Oak Park Pavilion as a Center of their activities and a fledgling Arts and Science Center Association was organized. This association quickly outgrew the building and on the invitation of the Park District a campaign was launched which resulted in the building of the two million dollar Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences. Located in Lakeview Park, the building is maintained by the Park District. Private funds provide programming and administration services.

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Dedicated to the cause of preserving our natural heritage for future generations, Owens initiated the Park District's program of land acquisition whereby the district, through assistance from the Forest Park Foundation and federal funding, has brought its open space holdings to over 7,500 acres. He has also been a determined leader in assuring that Peorians have one of the most vital necessities of life—shade trees.

Owens has served on many state and national committees of Park and Recreation Associations and has frequently appeared on their conference programs. He has also served as special lecturer at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois; Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Illinois.

Under his direction, the Peoria Park District received the National Gold Medal Award for excellence in park management in 1971. It was also one of four finalists for the same award in 1979.

Among the personal awards he has received are: a second Junior Chamber of Commerce Good Government Award in 1981 (the first was in 1955); Illinois Environmental Education Association's Malcolm Swan Award in 1981; the award for distinguished service as chairman of the Board of Regents, North Carolina State University School for Security and Safety in Parks and Recreation 1975-1976; the Illinois Park and Recreation Society Fellow Award in 1975; and the Cornelius Amory Pugsley Bronze Medal for outstanding accomplishment in the field of parks, scenic and historic preservation given by the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society in 1974.

Last year, the Peoria Park Board named the new ice rink in Lakeview Park Owens Center in recognition of his years of service to the district.

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