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2008 Annual Report of the PARC Committee <br />December 4, 2008 <br />Page 3 <br />Our programs have won awards for their excellence. We must work together, public and private, elected <br />and appointed, as well as city and county to make sure that such programs remain and grow. Just some of <br />our awards include: <br />• October 1, 2007 formal accreditation by the national Commission for Accreditation of Park and <br />Recreation Agencies, putting South Bend in the top 1% in the country <br />• NRPA designated the Park Department's website as the best website for a Class III City having a <br />population between 785r,000 -199,999 <br />• Child Magazine named Potawatomi Zoo as one of the top 20 "Kid Friendly" Zoos <br />• Potawatomi Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1987 and is <br />in the process of meeting the rising standards for a renewal of this accreditation <br />• 2007 National Institutes of Health "We Can!" Award to prevent obesity in youth ages 8-13 <br />• Indiana Parks and Recreation Association has awarded South Bend six (6) state awards for <br />outstanding facilities or park development for Belleville Softball Complex, O'Brien Recreation <br />Center, O'Brien Skate Park, Southeast Park and the Martin Luther King Center at LaSalle Park <br />• National Hearts N'Parks Award for encouraging healthier lifestyles <br />• Historic Preservation Commission designated Leeper Park as a "National Treasure" <br />• East Race Waterway, constructed in 1984, remains the 1St and only manmade white water rapids <br />facility in North America and has hosted U.S. Olympic canoe and kayak trials <br />• Morris Performing Arts Center being recognized as one of the top 100 theatres in the world <br />The Park Department's 2008 budget is approximately $14.2 million, with 62% being funded by property <br />taxes. Despite the challenging fiscal times, we must work together to continue our excellent park and <br />recreation programs for our residents. Thank you. <br />Resp fully submitted, <br />C tuber Ann Puzzello <br />PARC Committee Chairperson <br />cc: Mayor Stephen Luecke <br />Robert Henry, Parks and Recreation Board of Commissioners President <br />Phil St. Clair, Park Superintendent <br />