[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 164 (Thursday, November 5, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S11223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 47--RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN CALIFORNIA 
                         AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 47

       Whereas November 6, 2009, will mark the 75th anniversary of 
     the historic passage of a ballot measure to create the East 
     Bay Regional Park District (referred to in this preamble as 
     the ``District'') in California's San Francisco Bay Area by a 
     convincing ``yes'' vote of a 2\1/2\ to 1 margin in 1934 
     during the height of the Depression;
       Whereas with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 
     the Works Progress Administration, and private contractors, 
     the District began putting people to work to establish the 
     District's first 3 regional parks--Tilden, Temescal, and 
     Sibley;
       Whereas over the intervening 75 years, the District has 
     grown to be the largest regional park agency in the United 
     States with nearly 100,000 acres of parklands spread across 
     65 regional parks and over 1,100 miles of trails in Alameda 
     and Contra Costa Counties;
       Whereas approximately 14,000,000 visitors a year from 
     throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond take 
     advantage of the vast and diverse District parklands and 
     trails;
       Whereas the vision of the District is to preserve the 
     priceless heritage of the region's natural and cultural 
     resources, open space, parks, and trails for the future, and 
     to set aside park areas for enjoyment and healthful 
     recreation for current and future generations;
       Whereas the mission of the District is to acquire, develop, 
     manage, and maintain a high quality, diverse system of 
     interconnected parklands that balances public usage and 
     education programs with the protection and preservation of 
     the East Bay's most spectacular natural and cultural 
     resources;
       Whereas an environmental ethic guides the District in all 
     that it does;
       Whereas in 1988, East Bay voters approved the passage of 
     Measure AA, a $225,000,000 bond to provide 20 years of 
     funding for regional and local park acquisition and 
     development projects;
       Whereas in 2008, under the strategic leadership of its 
     Board of Directors and General Manager Pat O'Brien, East Bay 
     voters approved passage of the historic Measure WW, a 
     $500,000,000 renewal of the original Measure AA bond--the 
     largest regional or local park bond ever passed in the United 
     States; and
       Whereas throughout 2009, the District's 75th Anniversary 
     will be recognized through special events and programs: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the establishment of 
     the East Bay Regional Park District; and
       (2) honors the board members, general managers, and East 
     Bay Regional Park District staff who have dutifully fulfilled 
     the mission of protecting open space and providing outdoor 
     recreation opportunities for generations of families in the 
     East Bay.

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