Trends and Issues for the 90's

- A View from Past Recipients of the Fellow Award —

"The 1990's could bring about a number of challenges and changes in the park and recreation profession and in the delivery of services we provide our community. In Illinois, I feel an overhaul of property taxes will be considered. The impact will be meant for the education agencies, but park districts may feel the backlash of the change. Attempts to restrict the use of property tax and to more equally distribute this tax will be studied.

On the national level, I feel NRPA must look at a general re-organization. A professional branch for agency head administrators may be considered. A push for registration, licensing or some professional recognition for CEO's of park and recreation agencies on a national basis may be put forward . . . similar to the International City Managers Association."

Joe Doud
Park District Manager
Northbrook Park District

"Water is an important resource in park and recreation settings. Water is magic, in the outdoors. It is a magnet which draws recreation users for a wide variety of activities. We have for too long taken our water resources for granted and may pay a dear price in the future for this complacency. Many communities are facing water pollution and contamination problems right now. Some of our park and recreation agencies have faced or are facing similar pollution problems which drastically curtail recreation activity. I feel that our profession as a whole must become stronger advocates for clean water legislation and programs which will improve water quality in the 1990's. If we don't become proactive in this arena we may find ourselves being able to watch the waters of Lake Michigan and other surface waters of Illinois, but we won't be able to use them for fun and recreation. "

Robert Espeseth
Office of Recreation and Park
Resources
Department of Leisure Studies
University of Illinois

"I believe that the major issues which will affect our very important profession and the citizens of this country will include the following:

A. We need more qualified professional leaders and it appears that enrollments are declining. Our professionals are being lured away and students are moving to other professional areas which will have a great impact — both numbers and quality.

B. I believe that land availability will decrease — this plus an increase in monies to purchase land will not be available.The government agencies and communities will not have the clout to get funds for our land/program needs.

C. The disadvantaged and the Senior Citizen programs will suffer dramatically because of lack of support, i.e. money and qualified staff.

D. Our young professionals are being stolen away from us because of low salaries and more attractive professional opportunities! We have to find ways to keep our good people in our professional programs. We have to be more competitive in salary, responsibilities, and other prerequisites.

I believe these problems above are pertinent and peculiar to our profession. We are at a standstill and slowly retrenching in the professional arena."

Dr.William O'Brien
Professor Emeritus
SIU - Carbondale

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 November/December 1988

"My perception of the major trend for public leisure service agencies in the future revolves around sophistication of services and self-sustaining finances. Public agencies will become more and more involved in entrepreneur type facilities and services. We will lose our negative views of "profit" and instead recognize that those profits can be plowed back into expansion of leisure services for the public. We are continually learning how to market our services and meet needs at a high and polished level of service. Those services that are in consumer demand will pay for themselves and many other services in addition.

Leisure services will feature the public entrepreneur in the 1990's. "

Richard E. Johns
General Superintendent
Glenview Park District

"I think that the one area where we, in parks and recreation, must do a better job in the 90's is to get the people more involved, not just as program participants, but in the total process. We must get them involved as volunteers, in advisory groups, as coaches and leaders, in Adopt-A-Park organizations, in Concerned Citizens organizations and other support groups. This must be an all out effort not just a superficial attempt. Commitment of staff time and fiscal resources will pay many fold dividends in public support. I believe every park and recreation agency should have a full time staff position to work with volunteers. The people you involve become avid supporters of Parks and Recreation. It becomes their tree, their park, their program, their center, and no one better mess with that operation. You can't buy this type of support. "

Robert F. Toalson
General Manager
Champaign Park District

"For the past ten years or so most of the Director of Parks and Recreation positions in Illinois have been occupied by the same practitioners. The majority of these individuals are in their late 40's or early 50's (except the author who is in his very early 30's). During the coming decade it is foreseen that several of these directors will be retiring which will solve the problem that exists today of very limited upward mobility by Superintendents and other mid-management practitioners. This situation will allow many of the competent practitioners to move to positions of increased responsibility and allow their positions to be filled with equally talented entry level persons which in turn creates more positions for recent graduates. "

Mick Pope
Director of Parks &Recreation
Elmhurst Park District

"The trend I see in the public parks and recreation field is one of rapidly increasing maturity. As the average age of our population increases, so will our expected (perhaps required?) commitment to the wants and needs of our older citizens. Americans will tend to remain in one community for longer periods of time. They will change employers less frequently. This will affect the role and responsibilities of our agency employees — especially our recreation supervisors/ coordinators. Their tenure will increase; chief administrators and policy boards will increasingly recognize the critical importance of quality professionals remaining in what we will recognize as legitimate career positions."

Fred P. Hall
Director of Parks & Recreation
Palatine Park District

Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 November/December 1988