A WINNING COMBINATION-

"The Illinois Association of Park Districts"

Organization of Illinois park districts into a formal statewide cooperative association was realized in 1928 when 16 districts joined to form a separate section in the Illinois Municipal League. One wonders what would have happened that May in Chicago if I.A.P.D.'s founding fathers were to know that 6 years later 22 of the then existing 50 park districts would merge to form the Chicago Park District.

Full of enthusiasm the group by 1931 had gained enough strength to leave the league and form the I.A.P.D. as a separate group. The Chicago merger in 1934 did set back many of the early goals of the Association and wrecked the budget and programs of the group until the new Chicago Park District completed its organization and became a member of the Association.

By the early forties increased statewide legislative and executive concern and strength were rewarded with the establishment and funding of a Park Codification Commission in 1945 by the State Legislature.

Governor Dwight H. Green honored the Association's recommendation and appointed park district attorneys, including I.A.P.D.'s legal consultant (Lawrence Hoff) to serve on the commission. Six years later the codification was completed, revised, amended, and finally approved by the 1951 Illinois General Assembly. Governor Adiai Stevenson signed the code into law on May 17, 1951.

The enactment of the Park District Code in one important piece of legislation simplified the organization of park districts with powers to levy, collect, and spend tax monies for park purposes. Key foundations of the code give state residents the power to create separate local taxing districts for the prime purpose of providing park and recreation land and facilities under the supervision of a locally elected board of commissioners.

By 1953 the I.A.P.D. hired its. first fulltime administrator and was able to increase its strength and influence for the improvement of Illinois local park districts.

With the park code as a base, major improvements in park and recreation were then accomplished over a period of years. The recreation tax (first authorized in 1941) was strengthened by the removal of the 80% collection limitation and later by removing the referendum requirement making it possible for all districts to secure tax funds for recreation programs.

The legislative approval of the use of revenue bonds made it possible to construct swimming pools, marinas, golf courses, tennis courts, zoos, airports, and artificial ice skating facilities without the need for additional local taxation.

Minimum non-referendum bonding power to permit all park districts to purchase land and make improvements gave all districts capital funds for needed projects.

Besides these direct actions of I.A.P.D. in legislative activity, the cooperative association has joined in numerous federal and state cases under consideration by the courts. Some of the key items include the Repeal of the Federal Admissions Tax (1941), the constitutionality of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (1948), rights of park districts to issue bonds for swimming pools (1956), and community rights to zone for park purposes (1973).

These extensive legal and legislative actions have had their origin and major support in I.A.P.D. annual conferences, regional meetings, special training seminars, and countless committee meetings. As I.A.P.D.'s membership grew, commissioner training and enrichment sessions became increasingly important at these statewide meetings.

In between meetings ILLINOIS PARKS (started as an occasional and quarterly bulletin in 1933)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 14 May/June, 1974

served as the prime means of maintaining communication between member districts. By 1946 ILLINOIS PARKS became bi-monthly and many news letters and legislative bulletins became necessary to keep the member districts aware of the progress of parks and recreation in Illinois.

Additional assistance was provided local districts by the publication of numerous booklets concerning model ordinances, accounting practices, park gifts, professional standards, and park practices.

By 1973 over 312 park districts existed in Illinois with over 219 of them joined together in the Illinois Association of Park Districts. The value of this separate legal entity for the cooperative support of Illinois park and recreation purposes and distribution methods. Today the need for joint action in legislative support in both federal and state matters has never been more critical. Only future conferences, regional meetings, and the results of the cooperative actions of member districts will determine whether Illinois park districts will continue to be the best in the nation or whether they will fall back to a lesser position.

If the past can give any guidance to the future, it is clear that the Illinois Association of Park Districts has been a Winning Combination in solving the problems of Illinois park districts. Let's keep it that way.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 15 May/June, 1974