Grant will help Rock Island replace Saukie clubhouse
Parks across the state and in Rock Island are receiving millions in state grants to improve and expand public recreational sites.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday that more than $28 million in funding has been awarded to local governments throughout Illinois for the construction, renovation and improvement of buildings or land purchases for public recreational opportunities.
The funds come from the Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act (PARC) grant program, part of Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital improvement program. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) administers PARC grants, which provide up to 90% of project costs to help build, renovate and improve recreational buildings used by the public or purchase land to be used for public access and recreational purposes, with local governments matching the value of the grants awarded.
Locally, Rock Island received $901,800 for improvements at Saukie Golf Course, 3101 38th St. Plans include replacing the 95-year-old clubhouse with a new facility (costing just over $1 million) to better serve golfers and others while maintaining the golf course’s historical significance.
The current clubhouse is in a state of deterioration. The new clubhouse will include meeting space, seating areas, office, kitchen and dining area, two golf simulators and outdoor seating facing the course, according to a state release. It will provide year-round space for learning with indoor hitting bays and simulators.
“You can learn a lot about a community by the way they invest in publicly accessible recreation for residents,” said State Senator Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island). “The state is kicking in close to $1 million to upgrade the club house at Saukie, which is a significant investment for the revitalization efforts in Rock Island.”
“The tourism dollars that will come to Rock Island as a result of much-needed improvements to the Saukie Golf Course are going to make a world of difference for the local economy,” said State Rep. Gregg Johnson. “Building a stronger future for our community starts with steady economic growth, and I am pleased to be able to secure the money for Rock Island to achieve that.”
Last spring, Rock Island’s Highland Springs Golf Course opened its new $1.9-million, 3,000-square-foot clubhouse at 9500 35th Street West. That was accomplished without a state grant, in partnership with First Tee Quad Cities, said Todd Winter, assistant director of Rock Island Parks and Recreation.
The city has wanted to replace the Saukie clubhouse for several years, and the 90% coverage of the project by the state is a huge help., he said Wednesday.
“The stars aligned to apply for the Saukie clubhouse and get it done relatively soon after the Highland project was done,” Winter said, noting Saukie’s new facility will not be as large as Highland Springs.
Rock Island has to wait for state approval on guidelines to put the new project out to bid for demolition of the current clubhouse and design/build of the new one, he said. Construction may not begin until this fall, with a projected opening in 2025. Groundbreaking for the new Highland clubhouse was June 2022, and opening in April 2023.
For more information on Saukie (which opened in 1928), click HERE.
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