02/06/2022
SAVE SOLDIERS FIELD.
We just got this notice from Jim Williams and everyone please help.
Folks, we need to act fast on this. Monday evening there will be a City Council meeting to discuss the National Golf Foundation’s Plan for Soldiers Field.
You need to contact your City Council member and ask them to table the discussion on this plan. The plan favors either reducing to nine holes or, eliminate the course totally. Please let them know how much Soldiers Field GC means to you. Attached are your council members or, if you’re not sure which ward you’re in, there is a map. Please contact your representative ASAP.
Thank you and let’s save our course.
Here's a link to the list of current Cily Council Members ....https://www.rochestermn.gov/government/city-council/council-members
In 2014 they were talking about getting rid of Soldiers and we sent this letter to council members.
Please everyone that wants to save the best golf course for seniors in the state send your opinion to your council member today. Better yet to all of them.
There are many reasons to keep Soldiers at 18 holes.
We spent many hours with our grandchildren teaching them how to golf and just enjoying being with them. We did this from the time they were 8 years old till they graduated. We always golfed 18 holes.
Other Reasons:
1. When it stormed last week Soldiers was only course that would let golf carts out, so seniors could not golf Eastwood or Northern Hills if they needed a cart. Soldiers was full all day. It was several days before you could get a cart at either Northern or Eastwood.
2. They predict there will be 85% more seniors in 20 years in Rochester. Where are they going to golf? I have had several women in our league that say they will just quit golfing. Rochester should be considering adding another course in the next 20 years, not taking away the only flat course in SE Minnesota.
3. Many visitors come to the Mayo Clinic with their sick family. Soldiers is the only course close enough for them to get out and take a break to get their minds off of their troubles. We have golfed with several people that say it really helps them and is great the course is so close. It is one of the reasons they are glad to come to Mayo.
4. One of the reasons seniors stay in Rochester after retiring is they can golf at Soldiers Field. We had bought property in Bella Vista AK., but decided to stay in Rochester because we knew we would have a FLAT course to golf on as we grew older. When your knees and back go you can still walk Soldiers. Please keep it at 18 holes. One of the reasons Rochester rates so well is the recreation it has for ALL ages. What are the older senior golfers to do just sit in a rocking chair, because you took away their one summer recreation? Again several said they would just quit golfing.
5. Like Thomas Boyce (a non-golfer) said cutting Soldiers to 9 holes is like taking away the outfield for baseball.
6. Right now you state Rochester already have more than 85 miles of paved trails to explore more than 100 individual park areas : 81 playground areas, 15 picnic shelters,
1 indoor/2 outdoor pools, a beach, 36 tennis courts, 34 horseshoe courts, 54 ball diamonds, 37 football/soccer fields, 15 basketball courts, 2 dog parks, 19 sand volleyball courts, an archery range, 2 frisbee golf courses, 2 garden plot sites, 3 groomed cross country ski trails, 9 outdoor hockey rinks and 6 indoor hockey rinks. Rochester ONLY has 3 golf courses with only ONE of those flat enough for children, seniors and people with handicaps to walk. Why would you take away that to add one more park area? It is not right.
7. Even Frank Taylor has made the point that Rochester does not need to spend a lot of money to reconstruct existing facilities and lose at least half of our golf course just to add more trails and a sledding hill where there is NO hill. You could allow winter cross country skiing on the golf course, making sure to protect the greens.
8. Kay Pearson made the point there are around 27,332 rounds of golf in a year. Golf revenue totaled $374,600 in 2013, while expenses for the course & golf administration came in at $336,943 according to the park department. That means you made a profit of $37,657. Will a park make money? The golf courses didn’t lose money until the decision to change Eastwood and Hadley Hills. Again you should be thinking about where you are going to add another golf course for the growing number of people.
We all hope you make the right decision.
The City Council encourages respectful communication between elected officials and the residents of Rochester. Please be aware that Minnesota law states that any correspondence (including emails) to or from any elected official (including the Mayor, City Council President and/or a City Councilmemb...
