I have been reading in the newspapers in recent weeks about the stories of the River Forest Park District’s proposal to merge with the River Forest Community Center. To understand the discussions between the organizations, I requested from the park district the “Combining of the Organizations” proposal that the park district had submitted to the community center. After reading this proposal, I agree with the park district and fully support the merger of the two organizations.
As one of the original members of the group that helped establish the River Forest Community Center as a non-profit organization, this organization has a special place in my heart. Our vision in 1975 was to create a center as a place where River Forest youth could gather and to keep them off the streets. The center was to be run by resident volunteers with a mission to serve the residents of River Forest, all of whom would be following the mission envisioned by its founders, as the majority of the community center’s clientele is not from River Forest .
The time has come where a small community such as River Forest no longer needs to support two separate recreation organizations. I believe our community would be best served if both the River Forest Park District and the River Forest Community Center merged into one organization, and bring back the focus of the community center to serving the residents of River Forest .
Dale Rider
River Forest
Related
