093_HR0385

                                     LRB093 11612 KEF 17077 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,  eight  forest
 9    preserve   districts,   four   conservation   districts,  one
10    conservancy district, 35 city agencies, one State agency (the
11    Department of Natural Resources), and 34 associate members in
12    the allied fields of law, landscape architecture, and  public
13    finance; 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, Early legislation addressed by  the  association
27    sought   to   establish  uniform  laws  for  organizing  park
28    districts and the powers of elected officials, establish  the
29    powers  of  park  districts for acquiring land for open space
30    and  public  parks  and  recreation;  over  the  years,   the
31    association   has   worked  in  bipartisan  partnership  with
32    legislative leaders  in  Illinois  and  Washington,  D.C.  to
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11612 KEF 17077 r
 1    secure   funding   for   open   space,  recreation,  wildlife
 2    preservation,  senior  health  interests,  and   after-school
 3    recreation and nutrition programs for youth; and

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

 8        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
 9    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10    we congratulate the Illinois Association of Park Districts on
11    celebrating its 75th anniversary; and be it further

12        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
13    presented to Dr. Ted Flickinger, President/CEO and Mr. Dennis
14    Flanagin,  chairman  of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois
15    Association of Park Districts for 2003.