Construction Begins On Year-Round Driving Range

RACINE COUNTY, WI -- About a month after the Racine County Board approved a pair of measures adding more amenities to county parks and the county-owned Ives Grove Golf Course, ground has officially been broken on the new year-round driving range.

On April 9, the board unanimously approved a ground lease with Range Time LLC, which will build a year-round driving range at the county-owned Ives Grove Golf Course. County officials stressed that the project would not incur any costs for county taxpayers.

"This is completely awesome. This is another piece of the puzzle that will help improve and enhance the quality of life in Racine County," County Supervisor QA Shakoor said in a Journal Times report.

Range Time, the company that will be operating the driving range, says the new facility will include 30 heated indoor drive range bays, along with a clubhouse.

Beer Gardens Also Approved

The board approved ordinance changes and an application procedure that paves the way for vendors to operate beer gardens in Racine County parks.

County officials in Racine said that in seeing how neighboring areas such as Milwaukee and Kenosha Counties function, it was clear to them that beer gardens provide a great opportunity to increase the use and visibility of the many great parks Racine County has to offer.