On October 16, 2009, the National Recreation and Park Association in partnership with the Pacific Southwest Regional Council honored Alameda resident and East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Board Member Doug Siden with an Individual Citation of Merit award. Director Siden, was elected in1992 to serve on the EBRPD Board of Directors and has been re-elected four times. He is being honored for his valuable contributions to environmental education and recreational opportunities to his community. As an EBRPD board member, he represents Alameda, a portion of Oakland, San Leandro, and San Lorenzo. Parks in his ward include Crown Beach, Oyster Bay, Martin Luther King Jr., Regional Shoreline, and a small portion of Anthony Chabot.

The Individual Citation of Merit is a national honor and is awarded each year to one individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the park, recreation, and conservation movement. Director Siden was nominated by East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Pat O’Brien. O’Brien highlighted Director Siden’s involvement in his community, often with low-income youth.

“Doug Siden is so active in our community that many of us are left to wonder if there is actually more than one Doug, as if he has somehow cloned himself to be everywhere all the time,” says O’Brien. “He is one of those rare individuals who is able to, in the kindest of ways, get you to do and try things you never thought you would.”

O’Brien also nominated Director Siden based on his leadership as Chairman for the Measure WW Campaign, a $500 million bond extension to preserve thousands of acres of open space and expand regional parks and trails for residents of Alameda and Contra Cost counties.  In November 2008, passing by over 72%, this historic bond measure extension is likely the largest local parks bond measure to be enacted in our country’s history.

“Doug would be the last to tell you about his accomplishments and the first to complement others. He never forgets to thank the volunteers and staff that make things possible on a day-to-day basis, but will never admit just how tirelessly he works to bring people together to achieve great things,” states O’Brien. “That is a true sign of leadership and why he earned this prestigious merit award.”

Prior to his retirement in 1999, Director Siden was Executive Director of a successful program to provide environmental education and recreational experiences to youth, children, families and adults for over 20 years.
Director Siden holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters Degree. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the American Baptist Seminary of the West for his leadership.  His community service includes being president of the Alameda County Chapter of the California Special Districts Association, past chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, vice chair of the Waterfront Action, and chair of the Alameda Rotary Club’s Community Grants Committee. Previously he served as advisory commissioner for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Director Siden was presented with the merit award on the final day of the NRPA 2009 Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 1965, NRPA is the leading advocacy organization dedicated to the advancement of public parks and recreation opportunities.

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Official Press Release - From the National Recreation and Park Association in partnership with the Pacific Southwest Regional Council:  (06/01/2009)