There are those who say that spite (and even anger) are never appropriate responses to situations, but I disagree. As an English friend of mine says, "There is a time for subtlety and a time for both hind hooves." While I don't think you've reached the latter situation yet, wanting to use the public parks--which you help pay for--for something that you want to do is entirely reasonable and proper, and the appropriate response to such a baseless proscription *is* wanting to knock it down! I think, though, that you could win over the officials if you presented a case to them that model rocketry is a safe (safer, in fact, than the other current park activities) and educational activity that keeps kids out of trouble and interested in school. Also:
Below are links to several Estes, Cox, Semroc, NAR, and 4-H model rocketry publications that your club and school model rocket programs could use, and they could also be helpful in dealing with the Parks & Recreation Department folks (you could give them print-outs of the ones that you think would have the greatest effect). They are as follows:
Ninfinger Productions (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/rockets.html ) has scans of numerous model rocketry publications which cover the Sputnik-triggered "basement-bomber" youth rocketry problem (it also killed and maimed rocket-curious adult teachers!) and how model rocketry was developed to provide a safe, fun, and educational alternative to the carnage. For example:
The "Safety" section in "The Estes Model Rocketry Manual" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/no...a/estesmrm.html ) shows how CO2 cartridges and pipes stuffed with match heads or zinc & sulphur were used as rockets by teenagers and even teachers, with often tragic results. This is also mentioned in Estes' "Alpha Book of Model Rocketry" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/alpha00.html ) and "Aerospace Education and Model Rocketry" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/Es...eEd/AeroEd.html ). Also:
The STEM uses of model rocketry, to help teach physics, mathematics, and other subjects, are covered in "Model Rocketry - The Educational Space Age Hobby" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/Es...ceagehobby.html ), "Why Model Rocketry?" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/why00.html ), the "Industrial Arts Teachers Manual for Model Rocketry" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca.../manual/ia.html ), "Suggested Projects in Model Rocketry" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/EstesPubs.html ), and Estes' Rocketronics Catalog (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...nics/rtcat.html ). In addition:
Cox and other model rocket companies and organizations also published fine educational works. These include the "4-H Aerospace Program" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/4h1.html ), Semroc's Astronautic Modeler (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...0semroccat.html ), "The Cox Handbook of Model Rocketry" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...oxhandbook.html ), "The Cox Rocketry Science Handbook" (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...coxscience.html ), and these two (see:
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/NAR%20lit/NARlit.html ) NAR publications, "Model Rocketry in the Space Age" and "Model Rocketry Program of the NAR."
I hope this material will be helpful.