People in the greater Rockford area tend to take Rockford Park District parks and services for granted. They just assume that the district always has plenty of money. Sadly, that's no longer true.

Rockford industrialists started the movement to create a park district in the early 1900s to give families a safe and green place to enjoy their day off, which back then was Sunday only.

These men also saw the need to keep young boys occupied by wholesome activities, instead of roaming the streets causing trouble, which was a big problem in 1909.

Today, the need to provide children and families with safe, wholesome parks and activities is more urgent than ever. And I have a hunch the "trouble" being caused by today's kids is a lot more violent than it was then.

But the district's financial challenges are more serious than ever, too. It's the same story I hear from other public institutions and it's not made-up. The city of Rockford, Winnebago County and other units of local government are facing deficits as they plan their budgets for the coming fiscal year.

On Wednesday morning, new Executive Director Jay Sandine and his top managers gave a presentation to the Editorial Board about realigning priorities and rationalizing the district's many programs and properties.

"Without changes ... we could face (a) $1 million annual budget gap every year," one of the district's handouts said. If nothing is done, the district's estimated deficit will exceed $1.4 million.

The district probably isn't going to get more revenue from taxes — the last successful Park District tax referendum was in 1990, and taxpayers aren't of a mind to raise property taxes regardless of the purpose.

So the district is looking at ways to make further cuts, which may include selling some properties that aren't meeting the recreational needs "of this and succeeding generations." That means only accepting land donations that meet current and future needs and weighing the cost of developing and maintaining the land over time.

The district also has many infrastructure problems, including worn-out buildings and roads, dead ash trees and dilapidated playground equipment.

And then there is the golf conundrum. Golf rounds are declining dramatically, not just here but nationwide. Does the Park District need six golf courses — Elliott, Aldeen, Sinnissippi, Ingersoll, Sandy Hollow and Alpine Hills? Sandine explained that the golf courses not only used to pay for themselves, they made a profit that was used to subsidized other programs. Now the emptying golf courses must be propped up by taxpayers.

So, do they close one or two of them? If so, what would become of the land? Raise the price of golf rounds to accurately reflect the cost of running the courses? There's no easy answer.

I can't begin to share all the information we received Wednesday — that would take a couple of pages, which I don't have. But I think that Sandine & Co. are taking the right approach, aligning the available funding with current and future needs, and with the community's expectations of excellent facilities and services.

The district has always played a much larger role in civic life here than in most urban centers. Its logo — the Sun Singer — on a sign or building is the seal of approval for parks and rec facilities and programs.

The district is well known for partnering with dozens of nonprofit organizations, school districts and other units of government, to give a boost to programs that otherwise would not exist.

The district also plays a vital role in developing young people into competent, responsible adults. One of Sandine's priorities is a renewed commitment to the district's neighborhood parks.

As a child I thoroughly enjoyed riding my bike to a neighborhood park to take part in Park District summer programs. I also enjoyed the day camps at Atwood Park. My friends and I walked to the Park District pool at Fairgrounds Park. My kids and my sister's kids from Chicagoland also went to Park District summer camps — nothing similar existed in the western 'burbs.

Not enough kids are doing those things today. Sometimes it's because their parents won't let them out of the house because they fear for their safety. At other times it's the growing challenge presented by video games and mindless phone tweets, with our Twittering president providing the leading example how not to grow your brain power. We simply have to persuade kids to return to their local parks. They'll get rid of that pent-up energy somehow, and it should be in a good way.

I think the district is up to the task.

Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; csweeny@rrstar.com;@chucksweeny