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1958 City's first recreation center opens,donated by Federal Housing Authority. <br /> 1959 Park Department signs a 99 year lease with lzaak Walton to establish park. <br /> 1959 Beck's Lake and subsequently LaSalle Park was purchased by the Park Department. <br /> 1959 Pierre Navarre cabin renovated at Leeper. <br /> 1959 Navarre Park is named O'Brien Park,Lombardy Park is now named Navarre Park. 1960 <br /> Howard Park Maintenance Building is completed. <br /> 1960 Park Department signs lease with S.B.C.S.C.to build Studebaker on existing park. 1960 <br /> Voorde Park established,park fully developed in 1963. <br /> 1961 LaSalle Park established. <br /> 1961 Dutch Elm disease ruins thousands of city trees. <br /> 1961 Elbel Park purchased for$35,000.00,later to become Ethel Golf Course. <br /> 1963 Park Department sells$800,000.00 in bonds to develop Pinhook,Elbel and Voorde <br /> Parks. <br /> 1963 Park employees join union. <br /> 1963 Ella Morris donates funds for the Morris Conservatory,The Conservatory opens in 1964 <br /> 1963 George Wheelock Park donated to Park Department.Wheelock Park leased to Izaak <br /> Walton. <br /> 1964 Pinhook beach opens. <br /> 1965 Elbel Golf Course opens at the cost of $550,000.00. <br /> 1966 National Guard Armory leased to the Park Department, later named the Newman Center. <br /> 1966 Riverside Manor Park established. <br /> 1967 Ralph Newman retires after 19 years as Superintendent. <br /> 1967 Charles Van Delve named Park Superintendent. <br /> 1967 J.D. Oliver Park established. <br /> 1967 Muessel Ellison Trust Foundation donated funds for Tropical Garden Facility. <br /> 1968 Lasalle Recreation Center Opens. <br /> 1968 Leeper Park Tennis clubhouse is completed. <br /> 1968 Park Department begins the development of South Bend's first"mini parks." <br /> 1969 Teamster local#364 recognized as the bargaining agent for hourly employees. <br /> 1969 Fremont Park established. <br /> 1970 New county park system is being developed. <br /> 1971 Friends of the Zoo organized,later became the Potawatomi Zoological Society. <br /> 1971 Jim Seitz appointed as Park Superintendent. <br /> 1972 Bendix Recreation Center opened. <br /> 1972 Bendix Park and Pool changed to Kennedy Park and Pool. <br /> 1972 Boland Park established. <br /> 1973 For the first time,Park rules are now ordinances passed by the City Council. <br /> 1973 Paul Boehm retires after 18 years as Recreation Director.He is succeeded by Bob <br /> Goodrich. <br /> 1973 Martin Luther King Recreation Center opens. <br /> 1973 First Ethnic Festival. <br /> 1974 Rum Village Nature Center opens. <br />