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Intergovernmental Cooperation: The Park District Advantage

Community Involvement: A Basic Community Resource

by Carl Maniscalo, Ken Swan, CLT & Gary Balling, CLP

Today, the major emphasis at all park, forest preserve and conservation districts in Illinois is providing quality parks, programs and services by using taxpayers' money wisely. In many cases, this means pooling resources with other units of local government, non-profit organizations, private businesses and other civic concerns. This sharing, or cooperation in many instances in the state, has proved time and time again that intergovernmental cooperation is a successful and prudent way to provide quality services at minimal expense. At the same time, pooling of resources benefits those organizations who, through cooperation, can expand facilities, improve programs and services without putting additional burdens on taxpayers.

The need for renovation and improvement is a concern of all park and recreation agency directors. Morton Grove Park District's Harrer Park is no exception. The park had not undergone any major changes since it was built in 1952. With increased demands for suitable parks, the Morton Grove Park District Board of Commissioners and staff decided it was time to address the problems at Harrer Park.

There was a need for a shelter for the summer day camp. There was no walkway from Dempster to Lake streets through the park. Tennis courts were deteriorating. No outdoor basketball courts were located in the park. Old ball diamonds needed updating and an adequate lighting system. Poor drainage restricted use of all of the athletic fields. And, the parks were not accessible for individuals with physical limitations. These were the major problems facing the Morton Grove Park District Board of Commissioners as demands from Morton Grove citizens for better parks continued to be heard.

In late 1988, Park District officials invited the residents to join a citizen's advisory committee to plan a proposed five-year renovation plan of the 22-acre Harrer Park. Residents voiced concerns and opinions and completed a survey to rank the improvements that they felt were necessary. This was the beginning of a $1.4 million plan that Park District officials initiated. From the beginning, Park District officials knew that in order for their plan to be successful and stay within an acceptable financial range, other local governments and non-profit organizations would have to be approached for cooperation.

The Parkview Elementary School, located adjacent to Harrer Park, has used the park since the 1950s as its playground facility. The school district had an inadequate playground on its property. Since the Park District was renovating the park, it was to both party's advantage to join forces. As an added component the Maine-Niles Association for Special Recreation was approached to contribute funds to the playground since they utilize the Parkview School during the summer months for their day camp. The Morton Grove Lions Club also contributed funds toward the construction of a tot-lot on the north end of the park.

In January 1989, the Park District Board approved the master plan for the Harrer Park Renovation. The plan would increase parking space by nearly 50 percent, increase the number of baseball diamonds to five, two lighted ball fields as well as two flag football/soccer fields. The plan was budgeted to cost $685, 000.

In April 1989, a meeting with Park District and School

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District 70 officials was held to discuss the site of the new playground, which would be directly across from the school allowing school children to use the equipment during recess. After that meeting the School District contributed $20,000 toward the cost of the $63,000 playground project. The Maine-Niles Association for Special Recreation also contributed $8,300 toward the project. The play area was designed to allow children with physical disabilities to also enjoy the equipment.

In September of that same year, the Park District submitted an application for a grant to the Illinois Department of Conservation (DOC) for money to help pay for the park renovation. On February 15, 1990, Park District officials made a presentation at a public hearing held at Starved Rock State Park for the DOC grant. Seventy-two other applicants statewide were attempting to secure some of the $10 million available from DOC. The Park District was successful in its bid for a share of the grant money and was awarded a $200,000 grant to help fund the project. Work on the project was set to begin the following spring. A planning consultant was hired to draw up bidding specifications. Meetings with local youth athletic associations were held to coordinate league play for the 1991 season.

The board hired a construction company to build a shelter at a cost of $ 158,000. The shelter, a 60-foot round open-air building gave the summer day camps a new home. Storage space and restrooms were also figured into the construction of the building. The day camps could now operate out of their own building instead of using the maintenance building.

The construction company was contracted to complete the $382,000 worth of improvements for the second phase of the project. They installed a tot-lot, a jogging path, a walkway, fences, drainage and irrigation. The Morton Grove Lions Club got involved in the project and donated $4,000 for the tot-lot.

As the project continues, future phases include more than 100 new trees, additional parking, enclosing the park's maintenance compound and swimming pool renovation.

In addition to the School District and Lions Club working in cooperation with the Park District on the renovation, a citizen's advisory committee that was formed in the early planning stages was instrumental in working toward a successful completion of the project. The Citizen's Advisory Committee played a major role in voicing the concerns of the constituents which the Park District and School District serve.

With community involvement from the beginning, it was easier for park and school officials to plan the multiple-phase project, and still remain confident that residents' concerns and needs were being met.

About the Authors

All three authors are employed by the Morton Grove Park District. Carl Maniscalo supervises athletics; Ken Swan is the Superintendent of Finance; and Gary Balling is Administrative Manager.

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January/February 1992