DULUTH, Minnesota (Northern News Now) – Duluth’s sports facilities are getting major upgrades, but before those projects go ahead, the public had a chance to voice their opinions.

In recent years, the Duluth Parks and Recreation Department has been working to rebuild the local sports scene.

“We’re seeing some of our partner communities get ahead of us,” says Jessica Peterson, director of Duluth’s parks and recreation department.

To achieve the goal of revitalizing sport in Northland, the City has launched the Sports Venue Reinvestment Initiative. The plan will see over $30 million invested in spaces that attract regional sports tourism, including indoor and outdoor facilities, as well as upgrading existing facilities and planning for new opportunities.

“Places like Wade, Wheeler, Arlington, Jean Duluth, where we know there is already a high concentration of sporting events, activities and tournaments,” Peterson said.

Before the city embarks on major projects, Duluth residents were asked to weigh in on the future of the city’s sports facilities during a hearing Tuesday night.

“It’s difficult to compete for space on the rink,” says Danielle Able, a member of the Harbor City Roller Derby team from Duluth.

Able was one of the participants in the input meeting at the Portman Community Center. During the meeting, she noted that it is almost impossible to get space at the rink during the winter, especially for the area’s roller derby team.

“Right now we train at a Washington Center Gym in downtown Duluth, kind of on the basketball court. So we compete in basketball as well,” Able said. “It would be great if there was a place that had something like an indoor concrete hockey rink.”

Able said she hopes the city will expand the variety of venues available so her team and others have a safe place to train and play.

“It’s always a lot of fun to just play,” said Able.

There are two more open days that the public can attend:

Open House #2: Wednesday, August 28 at the Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior Street (in the Green Room), from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Open House #3: Wednesday, August 28 at Morgan Park Community Center, 1242 88th Avenue W. from 5 to 7 p.m.

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