Perspectives: Seattle Congress tops an amazing year: 2006 brought significant achievements to the members of NRPA.

As you read this article it is my hope that you are in Seattle for this year's NRPA Congress & Exposition. If so, you are among more than 7,500 attendees that will take advantage of more than 300 different education sessions.

I am confident, as I write, that the 2006 Congress will be regarded as the premier NRPA event of the year. This statement, however, recognizes that there may have never been so many significant achievements for NRPA in a given year as there have been in 2006.

The Mid-Year Legislative Forum was record-setting in attendance and was powerful in representation as we were joined by many of our urban city leaders and our valued partners from the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Board of Directors. Our message as it related to preservation of the Land and Water funding, health and fitness and quality of life resonated with the congressional community.

In June, the Urban Park and Recreation Summit in Chicago was the first conference of its kind to create a national urban park and recreation movement. The coalition of the 25 largest cities and attendees joined voices to formalize a national Call to Action that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley sponsored as a resolution for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Thanks and appreciation is given to the National Recreation Foundation for their grant that enabled NRPA to bring together leaders of our nation's urban cities, as well as to partner with fellow alliance and national society organizations.

NRPA's National Partnership staff also make a strong case for consideration. The USTA, the National Football League, Sports Illustrated, Hershey, Dodge Motors, Fishing and Boating and many of our long-time commercial partners have continued to work and provide millions of dollars for the advancement of parks and recreation.

The NRPA Board of Trustees also became key players in the association's quest to move toward the goal of a smaller policy-making Board. The decision to transition the current 70-member board to a 21-member board effective in 2009 was indeed historic.

And finally, do not overlook the approval of the association to form a National Recreation and Park Foundation. The combined efforts of past leaders and the ongoing efforts of the NRPA Development Committee served as the catalyst that resulted in the adoption of the organizational structure and by-laws for the Foundation. This is a work in progress, but the foundation was officially incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in July.

It is always significant when years of planning and discussion come to fruition.

I hope that we continue, as an association, to set historic milestones that move NRPA forward. I'd like to hear from members about what you think are the biggest accomplishments of the year, and how we can continue to accomplish our goals. Please contact me at [e-mail]

Ron Lehman

Chairman of the Board