HR1466 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1466 LRB099 23832 GRL 51352 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Plainfield Township Park District on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its founding in 2016; and

WHEREAS, On October 22, 1966, the citizens of Plainfield Township authorized the establishment of the Plainfield Township Park District; Robert Anderson, Frederick Hagerman, Duane Maas, Charles Stansberry, Jr., and Joseph Rutten served as the first Board of Commissioners; and

WHEREAS, In November of 1967, the Plainfield Township Park District entered into an agreement to purchase a portion of Section 11 in Plainfield Township for a public park entity; the site, purchased from the Plainfield Township government for $20,000, became the first property owned by the District; the property is now Four Seasons Park at Lockport Street and Interstate 55; and

WHEREAS, In March of 1968, the Plainfield Township Park District Board of Commissioners began discussions with the Village of Plainfield about taking over the village parks; within a single month, the Board and the Village reached an agreement for the District to assume management of the Village Green, Boy Scout/Ottawa Street, the Marybrook/Kelly properties, the Ottawa Street baseball diamond, the Memorial Triangle, and the McLaughlin Trust property; and

WHEREAS, Within just two years, the Plainfield Township Park District grew from an idea into an organization managing seven park properties; and

WHEREAS, The Plainfield Township Park District has had five full-time Executive Directors, Ed DeMarco (1977-1983), Jon Foens (1983-1985), Greg Bott (1985-2013), Garrett Peck (2013-2014), and the current Executive Director, Carlo Capalbo; and

WHEREAS, Thirty-nine dedicated community members have served on the Plainfield Township Park District Board of Commissioners; their commitment and vision has guided the District from its inception through a period of tremendous growth during the mid-1990s and its continued plans for future expansion; and

WHEREAS, Fiduciary responsibility to the residents has always been a priority of Plainfield Township Park District administration; the District has a AA bond rating from Standard and Poor's and has received Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada since 2006; the District has also been awarded over $8 million in grant funding to aid in the development of parks and trails and to fund various programs and park improvements; and

WHEREAS, The Plainfield Township Park District has expanded its boundaries and now encompasses more than 43 square miles; the District serves more than 100,000 people and manages 91 parks on approximately 1,300 acres; the recreational facilities and amenities owned and operated by the District include 65 playgrounds, two skate parks, three dog parks, 17 basketball courts, many pathways and bike trails, and numerous sports fields for baseball, football, soccer, and softball, as well as the Recreation Administration Center, the Recreation Administration Center Annex, the Normantown Equestrian Center, the Ottawa Street Pool, and the Streams Recreation Center; the Park District also leases the Heritage Professional Center and manages the Plainfield Township Community Center through an intergovernmental agreement with Plainfield Township; and

WHEREAS, A time capsule was dedicated and placed in the ground on October 22, 2016 under a commemorative stone at the entrance sign of Gregory B. Bott Community Park; the capsule will be opened in 2066 during the Plainfield Township Park District's 100th Anniversary; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the Plainfield Township Park District on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, its expansion in service to its communities, and its promising approach towards the next 50 years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Plainfield Township Park District as a symbol of our esteem and respect.