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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives wish to congratulate Woodruff Golf Course, | ||||||
| 4 | located at 621 North Gougar Road in Joliet, on the occasion of | ||||||
| 5 | its 100th anniversary; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, On Labor Day, September 6, 1926, Woodruff Golf | ||||||
| 7 | Course was formally opened to the public as a gift to the | ||||||
| 8 | Joliet Park District from Mr. and Mrs. George Woodruff; and | ||||||
| 9 | WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. George Woodruff not only donated the | ||||||
| 10 | land for the golf course to the Joliet Park District but also | ||||||
| 11 | provided the labor and materials needed to construct it, | ||||||
| 12 | ensuring that the course would be available to the public at no | ||||||
| 13 | cost to taxpayers; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Woodruff Golf Course is the oldest of the three | ||||||
| 15 | golf courses operated by the Joliet Park District and one of | ||||||
| 16 | the oldest municipal golf facilities in Will County, having | ||||||
| 17 | provided affordable, accessible public recreation for the | ||||||
| 18 | residents of Joliet and the surrounding region for 100 years; | ||||||
| 19 | and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Woodruff Golf Course is situated on the northeast | ||||||
| 21 | corner of the Pilcher Park footprint, one of the most beloved | ||||||
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| 1 | natural areas in Will County, and its 18-hole layout spanning | ||||||
| 2 | more than 100 acres has offered golfers of all skill levels a | ||||||
| 3 | scenic and challenging experience across its century of | ||||||
| 4 | operation; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Woodruff Golf Course has hosted numerous golf | ||||||
| 6 | tournaments and community events since 1926, including the | ||||||
| 7 | Joliet Park District Tournament and Youth Tournament, and has | ||||||
| 8 | served as a venue where generations of Joliet-area residents | ||||||
| 9 | have learned and competed in the sport; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, Woodruff Golf Course remains one of the most | ||||||
| 11 | active public golf facilities in the region, with over 26,000 | ||||||
| 12 | rounds of golf played annually, reflecting its enduring | ||||||
| 13 | importance to the recreational life of the Joliet community; | ||||||
| 14 | and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, In 2026, Woodruff Golf Course celebrates its | ||||||
| 16 | 100th anniversary as a public institution and a living legacy | ||||||
| 17 | of one family's generosity to their community; therefore, be | ||||||
| 18 | it | ||||||
| 19 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 20 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 21 | we congratulate Woodruff Golf Course on achieving its 100-year | ||||||
| 22 | anniversary, and we commend the Joliet Park District and all | ||||||
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| 1 | those who have stewarded this public asset across a full | ||||||
| 2 | century of service for the residents of the City of Joliet, | ||||||
| 3 | Will County, and the State of Illinois; and be it further | ||||||
| 4 | RESOLVED, That we wish for Woodruff Golf Course to | ||||||
| 5 | continue welcoming all who seek a round of golf and the open | ||||||
| 6 | spaces of Pilcher Park for the next century, and we thank the | ||||||
| 7 | golf course for representing the enduring value of civic | ||||||
| 8 | generosity and public investment in the recreational life of a | ||||||
| 9 | community. | ||||||