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LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION <br /> C ty o <br /> Elk <br /> River <br /> 13065 Orono Parkway <br /> Elk River,MN 55330 <br /> February 12, 2015 <br /> To NRPA Awards Committee, <br /> I am proud to offer this reference for Dave Anderson for the Robert M.Artz Citizen Advocacy award.I have known <br /> Dave for more than 30 years and his contributions to our city are without equal.He has shown tremendous <br /> dedication and passion in the area of parks and recreation,volunteering most of his free time to further that <br /> cause. <br /> Dave is a hands-on type of guy who has spent many hours making our parks better for the citizens of Elk River.He <br /> doesn't ask someone else to do something he's not willing to do himself. He's a great leader and has led many park <br /> projects over the years. <br /> Dave has been especially active in Woodland Trails Park,a large wooded area that the city acquired several years <br /> ago.it has several miles of walking and skiing trails and is used for running,biking,skiing and walking.It has <br /> become known in the Twin City area as one of the best cross country ski facilities in the metro area. Dave has <br /> spent countless hours in that park, building and grooming trails and conducting yearly burns to allow new <br /> vegetation. <br /> Dave was also respons'ble for upgrading a four field softball complex in Elk River into one of the top softball <br /> facilities in the area.He managed the local softball league for many years and was instrumental in getting lights <br /> installed. Recently as a tribute to his efforts the Elk River City Council renamed the facility as the Dave Anderson <br /> Athletic Complex. <br /> In the last year Dave has been very active in two new parks that the city has acquired along the Mississippi River. <br /> Bailey Point Nature Center is a small park that Dave and several volunteers has spent hours clearing brush and <br /> creating trails.Houlton Park is a new 350 acre park that will open in 2016.Dave is part of the task force that will <br /> establish rules as to how that park will be used. He testified before a legislative committee to help the city to <br /> obtain a grant that was used to purchase the park. <br /> Dave has been a member of the city's Park and Recreation Commission for nearly 30 years,serving the last several <br /> years as the chair.Recently he was honored by our local newspaper,the Elk River Star News,as the city's top <br /> newsmaker for 2014. Besides his work in the parks he led a committee that transformed the Handke Pit into an <br /> outdoor ice facility that hosted Hockey Day Minnesota. <br /> Dave has been honored as the Minnesota Park and Recreation Association's Park Commissioner of the Year. He <br /> was also recently inducted into the Elk River High School Hall of Fame. He is very deserving of this national honor <br /> for his incredible contributions to our city's park system and in turn to our quality of life. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Joh . Dietz <br /> Mayo <br /> Phone:763.635.1000 <br /> Fax:763.635.1090 <br /> www.ci.elk-rivermn.us <br />