December 2009 - Parks & Recreation - 15

with disgruntled public, and events that
go wrong through no fault of the 'professional') do seem very close to home. The
episode with the 'evil' library taking a
site of a proposed park actually did happen to our department. But I can tell you
that no 'special' favors were ever part
of the deal, just books against tree lovers. " -Susan Cooper, Newport, Rhode Island
" The show is about government. It is
my opinion that our profession was chosen because out of all government services, the public can relate to parks and
recreation. It brings people into government through us. It is a testament to our
profession. " -Sue Black, Milwaukee County,
Wisconsin

" It hurts our profession because it portrays top level recreation and parks personnel as political hacks. Although this is
sometimes a fact of life in our business, we
try hard to debunk this stereotype. Our
professional associations have diligently
advocated for qualified leadership, and
this should be the standard. " -Martin Denecke, Hamburg, New York

" People find it amusing and put as
much stock in it as they do in the police
department's ability to solve a murder in
48 minutes. " -Terry Bertels, Topeka, Kansas
" I believe we would serve ourselves
well to have Amy Poehler speak at the
next NRPA Congress. " -Mark H. Thompson,
Paducah, Kentucky

" I have asked non-parks people who
participate in our activities. They don't
believe it hurts the profession-it's just
bad TV. " -Dale Larsen, Phoenix, Arizona
" Who could not enjoy the town hall
meeting in the school auditorium that
holds hundreds of people, but has only
10 in the audience? While I thought it
was not a flattering look at our profession, maybe we do better by laughing at
ourselves and striving to do better. " -
Cory Atwell, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

" I have been asked numerous times
if I watch the show and what I think of it.
My response, 'It makes me laugh, and to
laugh makes me feel good.' Have a good
day...now go out and make somebody
laugh. " -Mike Baker, Kalispell, Montana 

GREEN

GIANT

Mike Trigg

oosevelt Park had lost its appeal. Erosion
had made the park inaccessible and an eyesore in the community. The park has been a
part of the Waukegan, Illinois, community since the
early 1900s and was in need of major repair, especially along the Waukegan River, which runs through the
12 acre park.
Enter Mike Trigg, Superintendent of Parks for the
Waukegan Park District. Trigg began working with
Illinois EPA in the early 1990s on projects in various
parks along the Waukegan River to counteract stream
bank erosion that had been destroying park land and
bridges. Before long, Roosevelt Park, which is located
about 35 miles north of Chicago, was on the radar. " We
needed to address issues upstream in Roosevelt Park, "
Trigg says. Seeing an opportunity, he thought, " Let's put together a complete park
master plan rather than focusing on one small, minor repair. Let's look at the big picture and then see if we can phase in not only improvements along the river, but also
throughout the park over a number of years. "
And that's exactly what he did, laying the groundwork for a massive multi-stage improvement plan that has spanned a decade. The first objective was to control non-point
pollution by converting the section of the Waukegan River in the park to a wetland to
provide a buffer between the river and the park. The wetland was established, and
continues to create a diverse wildlife habitat, reduce flooding, prevent bank erosion,
and filter pollutants and sediments to improve the river's quality. An ongoing community education program includes interactive educational signage at key locations
to explain the importance of habitat and showcase stories about the park's history.
" It has been 10 years in the making, but we're going to get it done, " Trigg says.
Phase three will be underway since he secured funding from the Illinois EPA through
a Section 319 Grant to construct an eco-friendly parking lot with rain garden, designed to aid storm water runoff as it migrates down to the river. Also in the plans - a
link to a pathway loop with a boardwalk trail system that will stretch several hundred
feet through the wetlands that were established in 2000 during an earlier phase of the
project. The boardwalk will include educational components such as signage on the
importance of wetlands, the Waukegan River, and the Waukegan River Watershed as
a way to highlight the impact they are having on Lake Michigan.
" It has been a labor of love, " Trigg says. " To see it all come together over the past
10 years has been really exciting - especially to see the increase of the use of the park
since we began the park renovation. You see people out on the playground and along
the walkways all year round. The community has been supportive of all the improvements in Roosevelt Park. "


www.NRPA .ORG DECEMBER 2009

Parks & Recreation

December 2009 - Parks & Recreation

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