July 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 24

Who, What, Where & how Around the Parks

M i l e ston e s

Recreation Legend Jane Hodgkinson Retires
Jane Hodgkinson, the executive director of the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA)
in Carol Stream, Illinois, retired in June after 30 years
of developing WDSRA into a nationally recognized
organization and guiding exponential growth in programs and participation for people with disabilities.
WDSRA is a two-time winner of the National Gold
Medal Award (1982, 1993). Hodgkinson currently
serves as the National Gold Medal Award Board Chair and is a
past presenter at NRPA national conferences. She was named a
Legend by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in 2010.
Hodgkinson has published more than 30 articles for professional publications including NRPA, Florida Parks and Recreation, Illinois Park and Recreation, Sports and Spokes, Athletic
Business, and Special Parent. She is also a co-author of three
books: Introduction to Recreation and Leisure, Arts for All: Making
It Happen, and Volunteers-the Key to Successful Special Olympic Programs.

The lifelong Illinois resident has been honored
with the Robert Artz Award, the Fellow Award, and
the Professional Award by the Illinois Parks & Recreation Association for which she served as chair in
2004. In addition, her legislative efforts on behalf of
WDSRA have allowed special recreation services to
be expanded in Illinois. 
As an extension of nine member park districts
in the western suburbs of Chicago, WDSRA offers
year-round recreational programs such as Special Olympics,
wheelchair sports, drama, arts, camping, social clubs, disability awareness, and inclusion into park district programs. In 2010,
WDSRA recorded nearly 4,500 participations for children, teens,
and adults who benefitted from WDSRA's 1,500 programs, special events, and community awareness activities. 
Hodgkinson was also a founding board member for the
Illinois Special Olympics.  Her career has always emphasized Equal Fun for Everyone. " Helping people with disabilities to realize their potential and access everyday life has been
my goal for over 40 years, " Hodgkinson says. 
Hodgkinson is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with
a BS and MS in Recreation Administration. She is succeeded by
Sandy Gbur who comes to WDSRA from a similar position with
the West Suburban Special Recreation Association in Franklin
Park, Illinois.

Fourth Ward Skate Park Dedicated
Skateboarders (including the legendary Tony Hawk), Atlanta city
officials, and nearby residents gathered June 11 to celebrate the
grand opening of the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park, the city's
first public skate spot. Located in central Atlanta's Old Fourth
Ward, the 15,000-square-foot facility along a newly renovated
segment of the Beltline (the city's ambitious " necklace " of connected parks and green spaces) offers bowls, curbs, and smoothrolling concrete mounds designed by Pillar Design Studios. The
park was funded partially by a $25,000 grant from the Tony Hawk
Foundation. Hawk also helped with the design of the park.

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Pillar Design Studios

Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park
July 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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