Park Board Discusses Decision to Cancel Soccer, Flag Football

Effingham Park Board commissioners were updated Wednesday by Park District Director Jeff Althoff on the decision to cancel this year's Soccer and Flag Football seasons.

Althoff said the State guidelines indicating Soccer and Flag Football as "medium risk" sports for COVID-19 was a factor, along with the start of the seasons' proximity to the start of the school year. He said, "We didn't want to risk increasing cases so close to the start of the school year and affecting whether schools could open."

Althoff also discussed the fiscal impact of COVID on the Workman Sports and Wellness Complex, which was closed for some time before its recent reopening. He said some "rainy day funds" will help in that regard. Otherwise, the fiscal outlook on the Park District as a whole is "not too bad". 

The Park Board voted to annex parcels owned by D&A Farms in the area behind Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as a section along Rickelman Avenue. The Park District boundaries typically mirror the Effingham city limits.

Regarding improvements, Althoff noted that new steps have been poured on the west side of Community Park leading down from the houses on St. Louis Avenue to Hole 15 of the disc golf course and the Wonderland in Lights roadway. He also said the tennis courts at Evergreen Hollow Park should be repainted in the next week or so.