Park District May Close Riverview Ice House, Elliot Golf Course

What happens when you mix big budget shortfalls and a pandemic? You get an organization that has to make some tough calls to stay afloat.

The Rockford Park District is that organization, and they've revealed their action plan for how things may possibly look in the very near future. For those who've called the Rockford area home for any length of time, these proposed changes are big.

Some of the ideas in the action plan call for the repurposing of Sportscore One, and the closure of both Elliot Golf Course and Riverview Ice House. The Park District also pointed out that to continue operation of UW Health Sports Factory, they'll need financial assistance.

Rockford Park District Director Jay Sandine:

Quality over quantity is what we’re trying to get to. Less things at a higher quality. We want to be a relevant park system for today’s generation and beyond. Our current park district that you see today is a park district for a community that lived here 30 years ago. We want to have a relevant park district with amenities and services that are important to today’s generation.

As to closing the Riverview Ice House, he added:

It is cheaper, way way less expensive to be able to tack on one sheet to Carlson Ice Arena than it is to basically start from scratch at Riverview.

According to their action plan, the Park District says that Elliot Golf Course has "the highest potential for being sold or redeveloped into something other than a golf course." By selling Elliot Golf Course, capital dollars will be freed up for what are being called "District-wide priorities."

Nothing is a done-deal yet. The full list of recommendations will be presented to the Rockford Park Board on October 13th. Then, members will vote on the actions this winter.