- from a City of Rockford News Release -

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE TO START ON 7TH STREET
ROCKFORD, IL. – March 10, 2010 – Thanks to an offer of assistance in personnel and
equipment from Winnebago County Chairman Scott Christiansen, the St. Patrick’s Day
Parade will be able to return to their traditional starting point on 7th Street this Saturday,
March 13th .
Due to recent budget cuts and the loss of special event funding this year, the City of
Rockford had changed the parade starting point from 7th Street to Madison Avenue near
the Riverview Ice House. The new route would have saved the City an estimated 50% in
staffing and equipment costs. The change in venue shortened the route, but more
importantly, disrupted long-standing family traditions in celebrating the day’s festivities.
“While changing the parade route was a difficult decision, the City felt it needed to find a
balance between the expenses each one of our parades present to our budget and the need
to continue to provide the community with family events,” said Assistant City
Administrator Julia Scott Valdez. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade had cost the city
approximately $6000.00 last year. Larger events, such as the 4th of July Parade and
fireworks display had cost the city almost $85,000.00. In total, staff and support services
for special events cost the City of Rockford close to $500,000 in 2009.
County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen stated, “We feel the parade and parade routes
are long standing traditions in our community and County government is pleased to assist
the City in the continuation of tradition. Winnebago County Sheriff Richard Meyers will
be providing six officers for traffic control and the Winnebago County Highway
Department will provide barricades as required. This type of collaboration between the
Office of Mayor Lawrence J. Morrissey
LEADING BOLDLY, WORKING TOGETHER
City of Rockford and the County of Winnebago is in keeping with our pledge to pursue
joint efforts in providing government services.”
Chairman Christiansen and Mayor Morrissey had recently announced that the two
agencies would begin to investigate opportunities to integrated services and operations
and have put together a Citizen’s Advisory Group to begin the process. “I’d like to
personally thank the Chairman for this generous offer,” said Mayor Morrissey. “By
stepping in and offering County assistance the County has allowed the traditional parade
to continue and has exemplified our goal of finding more efficient and effective ways of
governing the Rockford region.”
The Parade route will begin at the traditional 7th Street starting point and will travel west
on State Street. Rather than traveling north on Wyman however, its northbound route
will be along Main Street to Beattie Park.
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