These citizens even had the foresight to hire landscape architects H.W.S. Cleveland and O.C. Simmonds to design their early parks. Citizen involvement is no less prevalent or important today. Chicago's Friends of the Parks is the state's largest and most active friends group at 2,000-plus members. While it takes a little more time to get the community involved, the end result is always a better park. The community feels a part of it, has a stake in it, understands it, and that translates into commitment when the park is developed.
Citizens love to get involved in their parks, and there are many ways they can do so.
The sidebar opposite lists ten of the more common ways that citizens get involved in their park districts and forest preserves. The most common citizen role is the elected or appointed board member. These citizens commit to a term of service as policy makers and sounding boards for the public at large regarding the public delivery of park and recreation services in a community. They give direction to long-range planning, establish policy and serve as legislative advocates at the local, state and federal levels. Advisory Committees Citizen involvement via a 15-member citizen advisory committee helped the Urbana Park District improve its image and credibility and pass unprecedented referendums for increased recreation taxes.