PEOPLE AND PLACES
Gold Medal Finalists Named
Eight Illinois park districts and forest preserves were named as
Finalists for the 1997 National Gold Medal Awards, which are presented annually to communities throughout the United States for
excellence in park and recreation administration in a partnership between the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), the NSGA
Sports Foundation, and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
• Lake County Forest Preserve District, Libertyville, Ill. Nominated
by Play It Again Sports, Vernon Hills, Ill. (Class I, 260,000+ population)
• Champaign Park District, Champaign, Ill. Nominated by Gery &
Al's Sporting Goods, Rantoul, Ill. (Class III, 50,000 - 100,000)
• Skokie Park District, Skokie, Ill. Nominated by Para-Gear Equipment Co., Skokie, 111. (Class III, 50,000 - 100,000)
• Bolingbrook Park District, Bolingbrook, 111. Nominated by Palos
Sports, Palos Heights, Ill. (Class IV, 20,000 - 50,000)
• St. Charles Park District, St. Charles, Ill. Nominated by George's
Sports Center, St. Charles, Ill. (Class IV, 20,00(L- 50,000)
• Urbana Park District, Urbana, Ill. Nominated by Body N' Sole
Sports Inc., Champaign, Ill. (Classy IV,20,000 - 50,000)
• Channahon Park District, Channahon,Ill. Nominated by Ken Woody's Shot and a Goal, Joliet, Ill. (Class V ,Less than 20,000)
• Itasca Park District, Itasca, Ill Nominated by Creative Awards,
Elk Grove, Ill. (Class V, Less than 20,000)
The Grand Award winner in each class will be slected based upon improvement, service, continuing development, extent of future planning and degree of participant involvement and acceptance by the
community. Winners will be announced and honored at the NRPA
Congress to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in October.
Judges for the 1997 Awards are nationally recognized authorities in
the field of park and recreation management. They are: Jane Boubel,
Olympia Recreation and Cultural Services, Olympia, Wash; Richard
Johns, city of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif; Dr. Ted Flickinger,
Illinois Association of Park Districts, Springfield, 111.; Richard Zavala,
Fort Worth Parks, Fort Worth, Texas; Gary Haller, Johnson County
Park and Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
NSGA's Sports Foundation is a nonprofit membership organization founded to stimulate interest in the development of new recreational activities and facilities and to encourage participation in sports.
It established the National Gold Medal Awards Program in 1965.
Fenton Named SIU Alumnus
of the Year
Gary Fenton, director of parks and recreation for the city of Columbus, Ohio, received the Outstanding Recreation Alumnus Award
from Southern Illinois University at the annual awards banquet held
April 11. Fenton has held a number of administrative positions in
recreation including director of recreation for the cities of Roanoke,
Virg.; Marion, Ohio; and Glenview, Ohio. Gary has also served on
the Board of Regents for North Carolina State School of Sport Management, NPRAs Great Lakes Council and as president and treasurer
of the Ohio Park and Recreation Association. Fenton received his
degree in Recreation from Southern Illinois University in 1969.
Evanston Earns Clean Air Award
Evanston's Parks/Forestry and Recreation Department was recently
recognized as a winner in the fight against ozone. On June 5, Partners
for Clean Air, a voluntary coalition of business, industry, local governments and other organizations, identified Evanston as one of five
organizations that sets the standard for taking actions to reduce ozone.
Two years ago, Evanston's Environment Board joined forces with the
Parks/Forestry and Recreation Department to develop workable activities to reduce air pollution on critical days. On "Ozone Action
Days," Parks/Forestry and Recreation staff shift from lawn mowing
to hand weeding; work closer to the municipal service center; refuel
late in the day; reduce the idling of motors; and postpone use of
solvents and paints. Evanston's ban on gas-powered backpack-style
leaf blowers during the summer months is an example of municipal
legislation thai helps reduce pollutants.
Bharat Mathur, chief of the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency's Air Bureau, saluted Evanston's efforts, noting that "this kind
of voluntary reduction activities reduces the need for regulatory actions by the Illinois EPA."
Partners for Clean Air reports that last year refueling was deferred
by 70,000 people, and ground maintenance activities (lawn mowing,
etc.) were deferred by over 80,000 employees in the northern Illinois
and northwestern Indiana area. It's estimated that ozone activities by
the 350 Partners lowered ozone pollutants by one to two tons per day.
Individual effort also can help reduce ozone. An hour of lawn mowing produces pollutants equivalent to 100 miles of car travel.
Other organizations recognized by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency were American Airlines, Elkay Manufacturing Co.,
DuPage County, and the Indiana Department of Environmental
Management. For more information, call the Ecology Center,
864.5181 or Partners for Clean Air, 1.800.451.5983.
Schaumburg Receives Tourism Grant
Governor Edgar's office recently announced that Schaumburg Park
District has been awarded a $ 100,000 Tourism Attraction Grant. The
grant will be used to improve the five-ballfield complex at Olympic
Park, located at the southwest corner of Schaumburg and Martingale
July/August 1997 /51
roads. Improvements include the lighting of all five ballfields, two
soccer fields, and the construction of two basketball courts, a concession building, score-keeper area and an irrigation system for the
ballfields.
The grant was awarded based on an application submitted by
Schaumburg Park District using statistics from the Greater Woodfield
Convention and Visitors Bureau. Olympic Park was dedicated last
June on the occasion of an exhibition game by the U.S. Olympic
women's softball team, gold medal winners during the 1996 Olympics. It is the future site of regional and national softball and soccer
tournaments.
Converso Receives Director's Award
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Lonna L. Converso recently received the 1997 Director's Award from
Northeast DuPage Special Recreation
Association (NEDSRA). Converso
was cited for reaching a high level of
excellence in her responsibilities over
the past year as the director of public
information. Converso has worked in
the field of parks and recreation for
seven years and holds a master's degree in Speech Communications
(1993) from Northeastern Illinois University and a bachelors degree in Communications from Loyola
University of Chicago (1988). Converso is a member of the Illinois
Park and Recreation Association, the National Recreation and Park
Association and the Public Relations Society of America.
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Joseph C. DeLuce has been
named director of recreation at the
Champaign Park District. Formerly he
was the Youth Sport Specialist at Human Kinetics Publishers. DeLuce has
also served as the executive director
at the Macon Georgia Sports Commission, the director of parks and recreation for Hallendale, Florida, and as
a park and recreation superintendent
with Broward County, Florida.
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Doug Gaynor has been named director of parks/forestry and
recreation with the city of Evanston. Originally a native of Michigan,
Gaynor moved to California in 1986 to accept a position with the
Santa Clara County Parks. Now the acceptance of the position in
Evanston will allow him to return to the Midwest and be closer to
family. The move will also offer Gaynor many new, unique and exciting challenges, as the Evanston department operates several beach
areas along Lake Michigan, five multi-complex recreation centers,
two ice skating rinks, and an ecology center, all of this in addition to
the normal functions of this type of department. Gaynor was ap
52/ Illinois Parks and Recreation
pointed to the position of director of parks and recreation for the city
of Modesto in October 1992. During his tenure, he was responsible
for successfully addressing several significant challenges facing the
city and the department. Gaynor was president of the National Recreation and Park Association in 1996 and now serves as past president. He is a member of the NRPA Board of Trustees and was elected
a Fellow in the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.
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Kim Evangelist! has been named
the Youth Program coordinator for C-U Special Recreation. She graduated
from Eastern Kentucky University in
1997 with a bachelor's degree in
Therapeutic Recreation. Previously
Kim completed an internship at the
VA Medical Center in Danville. She
is responsible for coordinating programs for preschoolers, youth, and
teens with disabilities. C-U Special
Recreation is a part of the Champaign
and Urbana park districts.
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Patty Hermann has was hired as
superintendent of recreation at Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA). Hermann will
oversee recreation programs and services for adults and children with disabilities in the northern suburbs. Her
prior job and educational experience
include; Senior Spinal Cord Injury
and Neuromuscular therapist at
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital;coordinator ofTherapeutic Recreation for the Chicago Park District, overseeing the agency's Special Olympics camps and tournaments, general adapted sports and other programs; and coordinator of the Before and After School Program for
the Schaumburg Park District.
She earned a bachelor of science degree from Winona State University in Minnesota and a master of education degree in Therapeutic Recreation Administration from Southern Illinois University in
Carbondale.
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Sheila Wegner has been named
special events coordinator at the
Champaign Park District. Formerly
she was the administrative assistant in
Marketing and Creative Services at
Wolfram Research, Inc. She received
her bachelor's degree in Community
Health from the University of Illinois
in 1996. Wegner will oversee the Summer Concert Series, Day In the Park,
Taste of Champaign-Urbana, and
other district-wide special events.
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Charles T. Balling has been appointed executive director of the
Gurnee Park District. Formerly director of leisure services for the Elmhurst
Park District, he brings more than
twenty years of experience in parks
and recreation to the district. He is
responsible for the overall management and performance of the district.
Balling has been active in the Illinois
Association of Park Districts and is
well-known in the parks and recreation field for his customer service and marketing approach in the
development of innovative leisure programs and services. Balling was
part of the team that received the 1992 National Gold Medal Award
for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in Elmhurst.
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Susamma (Susie)
Kuruvilla was hired by the Gurnee
Park District as superintendent of
business services. She is a certified
public accountant, formerly with the
village of Mundelein, and has 10 years
of accounting experience. She will be
responsible for financial reporting systems, financial statements, annual
budget and appropriation levy, management information system and
other projects. Kuruvilla will also serveas district treasurer, an appointed position by the Gurnee Park District board of commissioners.
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Gayle Mountcastle joined the Park Ridge Recreation and Park
District as superintendent of recreation bringing with her eleven years
of recreation experience. For the past five years she has been the superintendent of recreation at the Streamwood Park District. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Illinois Park and Recreation Association. Mountcastle received a degree in Recreation and
Park Administration from Illinois State University and a masters degree in Management and Business from National Louis University,
Chicago.
Gregg Sabetta was appointed as the cultural arts supervisor of
the Skokie Park District. He brings an extensive background in cultural arts. He worked for the Schaumburg Park District, formed many
partnerships with area school districts, cities and other entities for the
enhancement of community cultural arts. A graduate of DePaul University, Greg brings a gold mine of education, professional experiences and a passion for the arts to the Skokie Park District.
July/August 1997 /53
Ahrens NRPA Institute Breaks Ground
The Ahrens National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
Institute, built to symbolize the Association's commitment to advancing park and recreation opportunities for all Americans, was dedicated at a ceremony on Friday, June 27.
Claude Ahrens, an Iowa businessman and philanthropist, initiated
the drive for the Institute with a $1 million challenge-donation to the
NRPA in October 1993. To date, nearly 1,000 citizens, professionals,
and companies serving the industry have pledged just over $3 million
toward the construction budget.
The Institute, which was conceived as a catalyst for the future growth
of die parks and recreation movement, is located in a 120-acre portion of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's (NVRPA)
Brambleton Regional Park. NVRPA will develop the land into a model
park that eventually will contain sports fields, jogging paths, nature
trails, and picnic sites, as well as an aquatic facility.
Home to NRPA's national headquarters, the state-of-the-art Institute is designed to embody parks and recreation - past and future.
The Recreation and Parks Hall of Fame and the Joseph Lee Memorial
Library, a research and archival library for the public and members of
the park and recreation field, will be housed diere. The facility also
includes an auditorium and classrooms for conducting seminars and
educational courses.
The NRPA headquarters and staff are scheduled to move to the
building in mid-July.
The National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA), headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is a national nonprofit organization devoted to advancing recreation opportunities for all Americans. The
association works to extend the social, health, cultural, and economic
benefits of parks and recreation. Through its network of 23,000 recreation/park professional and civic leaders, NRPA encourages recreation initiatives for youth in high-risk environments, the promotion
of healthy lifestyles, and conservation of natural and cultural resources.
NRPA Introduces New Logo
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After more than 30 years, the National Recreation and Park
Associations (NRPA) most identifiable symbol—its logo—has
been updated to reflect excitement about and commitment to
the future of parks and recreation.
"The logo will come to represent the united voice of the many
facets of the field," said Eric O'Brien, NRPA chairman. "Parks
and recreation encompasses so much: preserved lands and open
Spaces, the positive use of leisure time, increased quality of life,
healthier individuals, and stronger communities. NRPA strives
to cultivate each of these facets, and our logo should reflect them."
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Many of die original and timeless elements of the logo—all of
which mirror the value of parks and recreation—remain in this
new version. The people, land, tree and sun have been stylized,
but remain as the central symbols. These symbols are united in
one circle to demonstrate the associations united voice for the
movement as well as the interrelatedness of people and public
spaces.
In a two-year process,
all facets of the NRPA
leadership—the Board
of Trustees, Regional
Councils, Branches
and Sections, and the
NRPA Public Awareness
Committee, chaired by
Dr. Ted Flickinger—were
a part of shaping the new
image.
More than 70 logo designers were reviewed and the final version, designed by Elden Stromberg at Communigraph, Inc. of
Springfield, 111., was formally introduced at the dedication of die
Ahrens National Recreation and Park Association Institute. The
new image will be phased in over a period of several months.
54/ Illinois Parks and Recreation
Agencies Receive Grant Checks at
IAPD Legislative Conference
At lAPD's annual Legislative Conference, held April 30 in Springfield, ten agencies received ceremonial grant checks for local park development projects, open space acquisition and trail development. The checks were presented by Governor Jim Edgar and Brent Manning,
executive director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which administers the OSLAD, Bicycle Path and Snowmobile grant programs.
Accepting the checks were board members and staff from each agency, and several agencies were accompanied by their
local legislators.*
1. Arlington Heights Park District,
$200,000 (OSLAD) to develop an outdoor
athletic field complex.
2. Bartlett Park District, $137,900
(OSLAD) to develop a 17-acre site with
ball fields, picnic and play areas and parking; $40,807.10 (OSLAD) to develop
Humbracht Park into a neighborhood park.
3. Buffalo Grove Park District,
$ 119,000 (OSLAD) to develop Cherbourg ___
Park featuring a soccer field, playground,
tennis courts and other recreation areas.
4. Carol Stream Park District,
$200,000 (OSLAD) to develop the 48-acre
Bierman Park/Heritage Lake site with a
playground, fishing stations and other recreation areas. *Sen. Beverly Fawell
5. Dixon Park District, $56,404
(Snowmobile) to construct 3.5 miles of 10-foot-wide trail for snowmobiling.
6. Kane County Forest Preserve
District, $273,500 (OSLAD) to acquire
86.7 wetland acres at Otter Creek Marsh.
7. Lake County Forest Preserve
District, $400,000 (OSLAD) to acquire a
45-acre parcel containing endangered plant
species, a natural lake, bog, and several acres
of woodlands. *Rep. Mark Beaubien, Sen.
William Peterson, Rep. Andrea Moore
8. Macon County Conservation
District, $150.000 (Bike Path) to develop
a 2.2-mile trail following a scenic route
from Rock Springs Nature Center to
Fairview Park in Decatur.
9. Morion Grove Park District,
$99,000 (OSLAD) to add new recreation
facilities at Austin Park.
10. Wheeling Park District,
$200,000 (OSLAD) to develop Childerley
Park with outdoor recreation facilities. •
July/August 1997 /55