The 1988 Illinois Outdoor Recreation Plan

Recreation priorities close-to-home — perspectives of local providers.

On August 5, 1987, a group of recreation leaders representing local agencies throughout the state gathered to participate in a key SCORP planning workshop sponsored by the IAPD and the Illinois Department of Conservation. The purpose of the workshop was to assemble people having a special knowledge of local recreation and to discuss their views of issues, challenges and trends.

Workshop participants were asked to identify their most important concerns about providing recreation opportunities in Illinois in the near and long-term future. They also discussed more specific needs in terms of land resources, facilities, and programs. Finally, the group made recommendations for actions to address the identified concerns and suggested which should be given highest priority in the SCORP plan.

Major recreation concerns were therefore identified in a broad sense, and specific challenges facing recreation agencies were also identified. The group considered the issues from a statewide perspective as well as the more focused point of view of their own agencies and areas of the state.

Twenty-two selected individuals represented park districts, forest preserve districts, and conservation districts in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the state. Workshop participants were divided into three small groups for the majority of the day-long session. Each group related, discussed, and refined their concerns, then arrived at a consensus on the priority of these concerns. The standard nominal group technique was used.

The final prioritized listing was based on a compilation of the top five responses of each group for each of the work sessions. The listing of major concerns was short (seven items compared to a potential fifteen if all groups listed different concerns) due to similar conclusions in the groups. There was a high degree of consensus on these major recreation concerns. Conversely, there were many different recommendations for action.

Priorities identified

Workshop participants identified more than 120 concerns, needs, and recommended actions. Of these, 28 emerged as the most often mentioned and highest priority.

Major recreation concerns
• Adequate and stable funding
• Local long-range and short-range comprehensive planning
• Land availability and acquisition
• Intergovernmental coordination and cooperation
• Adaptation to changing needs of the population
• Conservation education
• Public perception and image

Specific needs related to land resources, facilities and programs
• Rehabilitation and revitalization of existing facilities
• Cooperation among government agencies and the private sector
• Funding
• Master planning
• On-going facility maintenance
• Flexibility in park design for multi-purpose use
• Appropriate variety of parks and facilities
• Water resources acquisition and protection

Recommendations for action
• Establish a stabilized source of funding for L&WCF and the Illinois Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Program, in particular a public trust fund
• Develop a model intergovernmental cooperation program, with guidelines for cooperative action
• Develop more flexibility and authority at the local level
• Intensify lobbying efforts
• Develop a state bonding pool
• Implement a real estate transfer tax
• Make more and better use of land/cash donation ordinances
• Develop more self-supporting revenue-generating facilities
• Make better use of volunteers
• Provide more and better technical assistance
• Develop better communication with the public
• Accelerate implementation of existing plans The Illinois Department of Conservation and Illinois Association of Park Districts co-sponsored the workshop but did not participate in the group sessions. The intent was to obtain a truly local perspective on recreation planning needs.

A list of other related concerns regarded as important by workshop participants follows:

Insurance/liability
Growing bureaucracy
High-growth communities
Transportation Special populations, i.e., seniors, handicapped, minorities
Pre-school programs/latch key
Local depressed economies
Increasing demand
Vandalism
Marketing
Expansion of operating budgets; rise of labor costs
State agency for parks, e.g. Illinois Office of Parks & Recreation
Need for creativity
Excessive requirements for signage
Lands conservation needs

Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 September/October 1988

Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 September/October 1988