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Noble said she believes one
of her strengths is the ability to
bring people together to work on
projects for a common cause. “I
really have tried to stay more un-
der the radar because sometimes
I can get more accomplished
not being out in the forefront. I
certainly have no problem giving
people credit when they deserve
it and I have found that when
people really believe in a project
and you let them take it, they will
work as hard as they can on it.”
In the packet of nominations
for The Peorian of the Year
Award is a letter from Tim Cas-
sidy, who has been president
of the Park Board for as long
as Noble has been the district’s
executive director.
“It would be too extensive to
recite the myriad of facilities,
activities, classes, programs and
special events that have been
developed or grown since Bonnie
became the Park District Execu-
tive Director in 1992,” Cassidy
wrote. He did detail several of
them, facilities and programs
that “exist today and will benefit
future generations due in large
part to the leadership and vision
of Bonnie Noble.”
Cassidy cited the riverfront
facilities, including Festival
Park and CEFCU Stage, the Golf
Learning Center, the Riverplex,
Franciscan Recreation Complex,
development of several neighbor-
hood parks and establishment of
the Heart of Illinois Special Rec-
reation Association that partners
with park districts in Morton,
Washington and Chillicothe to
provide services to people of all
ages with special needs.
He mentioned also the three
Gold Medal Awards the Peoria
Park District has received from
the American Academy for Park
and Recreation Administration,
in 1994, 2001 and 2010.
Saying he believed Peoria
parks and the community would
be far different if Noble hadn’t
come here to live and raise her
family, Cassidy said “without
question the first rate quality of
life we and future generations
enjoy is due in large part to the
visionary and leadership skills of
Bonnie Noble.”
Noble said she and her hus-
band will retire here. They raised
three daughters here and now
have five grandsons. “I think
Peoria is a great place to live,”
she said.
And she plans to keep at the
job. “Every day is exciting. I can
still honestly say I enjoy coming
to work every day. I work with
great people who are out there
doing their jobs and doing them
better than I ever imagined. Why
would I ever want to do anything
else?”
Bonnie Noble displays the most recent Gold Medal Park District Award that the Peoria Park District
won in 2010. It has won other such awards in the 20 years Noble has been the district’s CEO.