Joint Press Release from City of Decorah & Decorah Community School

Posted: October 3, 2023 in City News

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October 3, 2023

Recent Land Purchase Showcases City and School Cooperation


The City of Decorah’s recent purchase of 30 acres on the east side of town near the river presents an exciting opportunity for both the City and the Decorah Community School District to improve educational and extracurricular opportunities for community members.

The City intends to develop a single-site location for multiple recreational baseball and softball fields in its newly-acquired prime location along the Trout Run Trail. This complex would replace the current fields, which need significant updates and improvements.

At the same time the sale of City-owned land to the School positions the School to pursue a new elementary campus in the heart of our community to replace the current, outdated, building.

These plans demonstrate the City’s and the School’s shared commitment to enhancing quality of life for area residents and continuing to provide state-leading educational opportunities for area children.

Decorah Community School District Superintendent Tim Cronin is optimistic about the plan: “It’s great that strong cooperation and compromise resulted in a mutually beneficial solution. I believe this plan advances the interests of both the School and community.” Mayor Lorraine Borowski is also excited: “We’ve been trying to find a solution to these issues for more than a decade,” she shared, “and now we’re making real progress! I’m proud that City and School leaders got together and found a way to proceed that achieves so much for our community.”

The School and City are working together to finalize a suitable new location for the tennis courts currently west of John Cline Elementary that ensures those facilities remain accessible to both the school community and the general public. With these proposed changes, the high school softball team will finally have a permanent home. Other details will also be worked out in the coming months with community input.

To view the Press Release Click Here