093_HR0239

                                     LRB093 11494 KEF 14930 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the  State  of  Illinois  wish  to  congratulate the Illinois
 4    Association of Park Districts (IAPD) on the occasion  of  its
 5    75th anniversary; and

 6        WHEREAS,  The  IAPD  was  established on May 17, 1928; it
 7    provides  education,  research,  and  advocacy  for  its  362
 8    members, consisting of 279 park districts, 8 forest  preserve
 9    districts,   4   conservation   districts,   one  conservancy
10    district, 35 city agencies, one State agency (the  Department
11    of Natural Resources), and 34 associate members in the allied
12    fields  of  law,  landscape architecture, and public finance;
13    and

14        WHEREAS, The mission of IAPD is to advance its members in
15    their ability to  provide  outstanding  park  and  recreation
16    opportunities,  preserve  our  natural resources, and improve
17    the quality of life for all people in Illinois; and

18        WHEREAS, The IAPD is the oldest statewide association  of
19    its kind in the country; it is the only park association with
20    a  primary  membership  of  elected  board  members who serve
21    without  compensation  on  local  park  and  forest  preserve
22    boards; its member agencies and their staffs  are  nationally
23    recognized  leaders  in parks and recreation and have won the
24    National Gold Medal Award more times than  any  other  state;
25    and

26        WHEREAS,  A.D.  McLarty of Springfield is credited as the
27    association's organizer; in 1928, he  was  secretary  of  the
28    Illinois   Municipal   League  and  believed  an  association
29    dedicated to park districts would further the cause of public
30    parks and recreation in  Illinois;  he  became  IAPD's  first
31    secretary; and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11494 KEF 14930 r
 1        WHEREAS,  Early  legislation addressed by the association
 2    sought  to  establish  uniform  laws  for   organizing   park
 3    districts  and the powers of elected officials, establish the
 4    powers of park districts for acquiring land  for  open  space
 5    and  public  parks  and  recreation,  and  address  liability
 6    issues;  over  the  years,  the  association  has  worked  in
 7    bipartisan   partnership  with  its  legislative  leaders  in
 8    Illinois and Washington, D.C.  to  secure  funding  for  open
 9    space,  outdoor  recreation,  wildlife  preservation,  senior
10    health  interests,  and after-school recreation and nutrition
11    programs for youth; and

12        WHEREAS, As a grass-roots organization,  with  its  2,100
13    elected  officials and more than 300 park and forest preserve
14    agency leaders, IAPD's voice for parks and natural  resources
15    is strong and respected; therefore, be it

16        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
17    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
18    we congratulate the Illinois Association of Park Districts on
19    its  75th  anniversary  and  thank  the  Association  for its
20    dedication to preserving our natural resources and  improving
21    the  quality  of life for all the citizens of this State; and
22    be it further

23        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
24    presented  to  Dennis  Flanagin,  chairman  of  the  Illinois
25    Association of Park Districts.