FOCUS ON THE FORUM

By Lynn Mikels

The need for professional growth, to become aware of new developments in one's field, is important. In an effort to meet this need, IPRA provides a number of opportunities for continuing education including the Mid-Year Section Forum scheduled this year for April 17-19 at the Ramada Inn, Champaign.

The Forum has evolved into a series of comprehensive seminars ranging from one-half day, "The Merging of Park District and Adventure Programs" for example, to two full days in length. Each of the IPRA sections assumes responsibility for planning one or more of the educational offerings, but all sessions are open to members of any section. "Energy Planning and Management for Parks and Recreation," "Cooperative Delivery of Recreation Services to Seniors," and the Racquet Sports School are just three of this year's workshops that are designed to appeal to members of more than one section.

While some seminar leaders find the lecture/discussion format most suitable, others provide "hands on" experience for participants. Such is the case with "Graphic Design: Maximizing Your Impact on the Community," a workshop scheduled for the afternoon of April 18.

Forum speakers include competent fellow professionals as well as guests from other states and other fields. This year, Frank Pezzorello, National Park Service, Washington, D.C., and Bill Graham, Deputy Director of the Rockford Park District, will jointly conduct the one day session entitled "Energy Planning and Management for Parks and Recreation." In an age of limited financial growth, agencies are eager to find ways to save money without curtailing programs and services. An energy conservation program could accomplish this for many districts but the technical expertise and expense of an energy audit is a deterrent to embarking on such a program. To help simplify the process and reduce costs, the former Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service developed a program that is:

1. a simplified, non-technical method to inventory, quantify and compare energy use and costs in a variety of recreation facilities.

2. a method for setting priorities for energy conservation in capital improvement, operations and maintenance.

3. an easily accessible source of appropriate energy strategies.

4. a means of determining their relative effectiveness prior to committing limited manpower and financial resources.

Both Pezzorello and Graham have written articles on the program which list some of its advantages for a leisure service agency: because it is a less technical system the staff time involved in data collection is reduced, it can be applied to individual sites or a system as a whole, the relative effectiveness of various energy conservation strategies can be monitored and evaluated on the basis of individual park system energy uses and it is even possible to compare "apples to oranges", ball field lighting to vehicle fleets for example, by examining the relative costs and energy intensiveness of various end uses and fuel types. All of this points to the primary purpose of the Energy Planning and Management System, as emphasized by Bill Graham, which is to provide the basis for making rational management decisions and setting priorities.

Graham became involved with the program about two and one half years ago when it was still in the developmental stages. Rockford Park District had already used some of the strategies advocated by the HCRS system but had hired consultants to formulate the plan, thus expending more money. In comparing the HCRS system to what Rockford was doing, Graham said, "I could confirm that the vehicle was good." Had the system been available two years earlier, he believes that Rockford Park District could have accomplished some of the same things at less cost.

While early registration is appreciated for all Forum sessions, it is essential that those attending "Energy Planning and Management for Parks and Recreation" register before April 1. This will allow adequate time for people to gather data from their own agencies to use during the workshop.

By working through a sample program under the guidance of Pezzorello and Graham, one can return to the home agency equipped with the skills to develop a personalized program. A variety of printed materials will be available to assist workshop participants, including the Conservation Strategy Appendix — a "supermarket of energy savings." Once one begins to implement the system, interdepartmental cooperation is important. Many areas of savings are possible in vehicle operation, Graham notes, but both program and maintenance personnel must be involved for the savings to be maximized. This workshop, like the others at the Forum, will provide practical information that can result in improved delivery of leisure services.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lynn Mikels, Director of Parks and Recreation at the York Center Park District in Lombard, is a member of the Planning Committee for the IPRA Mid-Year Educational Forum.

Illinois Parks and Recreation   9   March/April 1983