November 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 20

Front Page

Briefly Noted
Q The national park and recreation community has recently lost one of its leaders with the passing of Robert
A. Lee, former superintendent of Iowa City, Iowa, Parks
and Recreation. Lee, 95, passed away on October 17 after
a lifetime of service in parks and recreation. In the early
1940s, Lee worked as a teacher and basketball coach in
central Iowa before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942. After two years of honorable service in Europe, he returned
to Iowa and his career in recreation. From 1946 to 1947,
he worked as a program supervisor for the Waterloo Recreation commission, and from 1948 to 1951, he served
as the first superintendent for the Cedar Falls Recreation
Department. Following that term, he became superintendent of the Iowa City Recreation Department in 1951 and
held that post until his retirement in 1983. A member of
NRPA, Lee also served as president of the Iowa Park and
Recreation Association in 1949 and 1966. He and his wife,
Naomi, recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
NRPA and the park and recreation community remember

Lee's contributions to the field and the legacy he left, particularly in parks and recreation in the Midwest.
Q A recently released report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documents the connectivity of wetlands and streams to downstream waters, with references
to impacts on water-based recreational activities. These
wetlands and streams support a range of fish and wildlife
species as well as sportsmen's ability to access high-quality hunting and fishing opportunities. Titled Connectivity of
Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters, the EPA report
will guide development of a soon-to-be-released rule clarifying the federal Clean Water Act's role in safeguarding
the waters of the United States. According to the EPA, the
report represents the state of the science on the connectivity of waters in the United States. According to sportsmen, the report and related rulemaking play a key role
in conserving the streams and wetlands important to all
Americans, especially hunters and anglers.
Q Architecture students in San Diego will still see their idea for
a temporary urban park come to life, despite Mayor Bob Filner's resignation. The recent graduates from the NewSchool
of Architecture and Design came up with the idea for the park
as a way to revitalize vacant lots downtown. They originally
took the idea to one of Mayor Filner's " Meet the Mayor " sessions, and he offered his support. Now the students are working with Civic San Diego and the city attorney to create the
park, which will house a beer garden, farmers' markets, event
space and a dog run. The team plans to start construction in
November and hopes for a grand opening in December.
Q The Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission
(GCPRC) in Michigan recently received a $1.8 million
grant for general purposes from the Charles Stewart Mott
Foundation to help offset funding shortfalls. The grant will
allow GCPRC to maintain and strengthen its 21 county
parks and programs. " With 11,000 acres of incredibly diverse natural features, the county parks are an important
driver of quality of life in the region, " says Amy McMillan, the commission's director. " They provide visitors with
safe, welcoming places where they can play, learn, relax and
have fun, oftentimes just minutes from where they live. "
For more news from around the industry, visit www.parks
andrecreation.org/2013/November/Briefly-Noted.

Parks & Recreation

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November 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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