Dreams of green

The City of Bloomington's Park and Recreation Department is attempting to accomplish what the basketball team could not: a national championship.\nWhile a victory likely won't incite riots, the City of Bloomington's Parks and Recreation Department is one of four finalists for the 2002 National Gold Medal Award. The award is presented annually to communities throughout the United States for excellence in park and recreation administration. It is sponsored by the National Sporting Goods Association's Sports Foundation Inc. and the National Parks and Recreation Association.\nThe award comes after controversy over the department cutting down 66 trees at Miller Showers park. Larry Weindruch, the director of communications for the NSGA, said the contest is a wonderful opportunity for community parks to showcase their accomplishments.\n"One nice thing is the parks can take their accomplishment and show politicians and the community how well they have managed time and money," Weindruch said.\nNSGA has represented sporting good retailers since 1928 and is proud to present the prestigious Gold Medal Award to deserving park systems, Weindruch said.\n"When all is said and done, the awards are a way of encouraging the park districts to strive for excellence," Weindruch said. "Our goal is to promote participation in sport and recreational activities. By recognizing park districts on an annual basis, we can assure they improve each year, improving participation."\nDirector of the Bloomington Park and Recreation Department, Mick Renneisen, said he was excited about the award.\n"It's quite an honor," Renneisen said. "It's a unique and rare recognition, and we're quite pleased to be at this stage."\nThe award merits no financial compensation. Renneisen is nonetheless excited about Bloomington's opportunity.\n"I think any type of agency recognition goes a long way when searching for new staff and presenting politicians with our community park accomplishments," Renneisen said. "It reinforces in their minds that the resources they give are going toward meeting the needs of the community."\nTo be considered for the award, the city park system was nominated by Main Street Sports, a sporting goods store in Bloomfield, Ind.\nMaureen Workman owns Main Street Sports and is looking forward to what she said would be a victory for the city.\n"I think they're due," Workman said. "I called and congratulated them the other day, because I think they'll win it this year."\nBloomington Mayor John Fernandez said this will bring national recognition to the Bloomington park system.\n"Our park and recreation department is second to none," Fernandez said. "We know our quality of life is higher thanks to the innovative programs and services offered by the dedicated staff of our parks department."\nBloomington is one of four Class Three communities (cities with a population of 50,000 to 100,000) competing for the gold medal award. Asheville, N.C.; Denton, Texas; and Schaumburg, Ill., are the other three.\nTwo days before receiving the award, Bloomington park management had 66 trees removed from Miller Showers Park.\nRenneisen said the Miller Showers Park improvements have been a long time coming.\n"Miller Showers is just one park of a bigger system. As such, you're always looking to improve, renovate or even add additional park space and meet the needs of the community," Renneisen said. "It's always tough to make a decision to cut down trees, but in this case the ends justify the means."\nRenneisen said rain water polluted by automobile waste drains off northside streets, running through Miller Showers Park, making it difficult to use. The city's plans to renovate the park include creating a bike and pedestrian path along with increasing native and aquatic vegetation. The planting of more than 250 trees assures an increase the park's ability to manage storm water, reduce erosion and improve stream water quality.\nThe trees were removed earlier this week on Earth Day. Renneisen called the removal sadly ironic.\n"It was totally a quirk in the contractors' schedule," Renneisen said. "The contractors' schedule just put them here on Earth Day. It's just a fluke that's sadly amusing"