From the desk of:

The following remarks were delivered by Representative Joe Moakley of Massachusetts on June 15, 1978, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"I commend sincerely the recent innovative proposal of the Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus. Mr. Andrus' proposal, that legislation be introduced to rejuvenate deteriorating indoor and outdoor recreation facilities in hard-pressed urban areas is both the product of a careful year long national urban recreation study and a crucial step toward addressing the needs of troubled urban communities for physical recreation areas and facilities.

As Mr. Andrus noted, the need for urban recreational facilities is great. There is direct relation between the quality of life in urban areas and the availability of fully functional parks and recreation systems, including land, facilities, and service programs. Thus, because most troubled urban areas lack such facilities, and because the construction of such as the Boston Harbor Islands State Park, have done so much to improve urban communities' quality of life. Secretary Andrus' proposal and H.R. 12536 both present a unique opportunity for the Congress to directly aid in the uplight of America's urban areas.

Mr. Speaker, few State and Local governments have either the money or the authority to conduct such widespread development. A degree of coordination between State, local, governments have either the money or the authority to conduct such widespread development.

We must put forth every effort to include in Federal Legislation, affecting parks and recreation, a provision for direct financial assistance to special districts in addition to units of General Government.

See page 36 for a more comprehensive report on the National Urban Recreation Study.

IAPD and IPRA believe that the democratic process functions best through frank and open discussion. Materials published in this magazine, therefore often presents divergent and controversial points of view which do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the two sponsoring organizations.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 3 September/October, 1978