Don’t Close Elliot Golf Course in 2021!
 
The 2020 Rockford Park District (RPD) Action Plan includes closing Elliot Golf Course in 2021.  This proposal was presented to the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners on October 13, 2020.  The fate of Elliot Golf Course now lies in the hands of five Commissioners who will likely vote on the proposal in November. We must quickly send a message to the Commissioners that it is not a wise or responsible decision to close Elliot in 2021.
 
A diverse group of people utilize Elliot Golf Course and its closure would be devastating and disruptive to golf in Rockford.  Elliot has consistently been the #1 or #2 RPD golf course in terms of rounds played. Our community has thus demonstrated that Elliot golf course is an important and essential part of their life.  An objective of the RPD is to provide opportunities for all community members to improve their physical and mental well-being through exercise and recreation leading to an enhanced quality of life.  Closing Elliot is inconsistent with this RPD objective because it will significantly reduce these opportunities for many people in our community, especially middle and lower-income households.  By closing Elliot an affordable and cost-effective option for exercise and recreation through golf will be eliminated forever. There will be less access for the exposure and play of the game of golf for youth of all backgrounds and the older population of citizens in our community.  Furthermore, the RPD Action Plan did not provide any specific dollar figures to validate that closing Elliot would improve its financial situation or provide a dollar figure necessary to keep Elliot open.   
 
In September of 2019, the RPD recommended that Sinnissippi Golf Course be permanently closed to help eliminate a $1.2 million deficit.  However, recently the RPD choose to keep Sinnissippi Golf Course open in 2020 because of the commitment of citizens who came forward to be part of the Rockford Park District’s solution to current financial challenges.  This petition is a request to the RPD Board of Commissioners to do the same for the citizens of our community who do not want to see Elliot closed in 2021.