ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - Dozens of city parks in Rock Island aren't getting enough attention because the parks department can't afford it.
The Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department is short by $400,000 and is running out of money to maintain it's parks.
"We have over 26 parks and facilities that our department maintains we have a full-time maintenance staff of 11 people and they maintain over 150 acres of park space," said John Gripp, director of parks and recreation.
Douglas park is one property people said isn't being taken care of, so the parks department has decided to take a look at all of them and rate them with a tier system.
"Tier one is our flagship parks that generate the most revenue the most visits we have rentals, shelters, weddings, special events thousands and thousands of people visit them every year," said Gripp.
The parks not used as often will need outside funding or partnerships, groups that can take over the work as volunteers.
"We have the friends of Douglas park that are putting resources in for irrigation electrical work on score boards things of that nature," said Gripp.
Community members are concerned about what happens if these partners don't want to do the work anymore.
"To keep the leadership going to keep the enthusiasm there as maybe things turn over otherwise you have a tendency to sometimes die out," said one community member.
The community input is why the parks director said they need a plan to keep the parks green and growing.
The next two meetings for community input will be at the following times and locations:
-Wednesday, August 31st, 2016 at the Hauberg Center, 6:00-7:30 pm
-Wednesday, September 7th, 2016 at the Southwest Library, 6:00-7:30 pm