A local parks group is thanking Winnebago Lutheran Academy for listening to the public, city officials say they are saddened a proposed lease agreement is no longer on the table. WLA announced this week they are no longer negotiating with the city on a lease that would have allowed the school to build ball diamonds and expand a parking lot on a portion of McDermott Park. Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says he still believes the proposed lease would have been good for the school and city. “I think it would have offered a lot of opportunities for our park and I think it would have been more available to the public than a lot of people were giving it credit for,” Skiff said. Nancy Sondergard with the group Friends of McDermott Park says this was never about WLA specifically, but rather about appropriate development of public park land. “I think we were pleased when we heard the news but really the next thought on the minds of our group would be to say thank you to WLA,” Sondergard said. “Thank you for recognizing the community sentiment and adhering to your belief in WLA being a good neighbor.” Sondergard and Skiff were guests on AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program.
