Among ideas for former golf property in Bloomingdale: Dog park, open space and, yes, golf

About 70 Bloomingdale residents gathered last week to suggest ways to revitalize the former Indian Lakes golf course, ranging from leaving it as open space to creating a dog park and more.

The roughly 188-acre former golf course was purchased last December for $14.08 million, along with 15 acres along the south side of Schick Road between Country Club and Cardinal Drives.

"It was a good and productive meeting," Village Administrator Peter Scalera said. "We were glad that people gave good suggestions. Now it's a matter of taking those and seeing what the village can realistically do with them."

Other ideas generated in the 45-minute meeting included bringing back golf on a reduced scale, establishing recreational centers, creating a public pavilion and expanding walking and bike trails.

"The input and suggestions were great and consistent with our mission for the property," said Village President Franco Coladipietro. "I'm very pleased with the meeting and excited and hopeful for the opportunities to transform the property."

After the golf course closed in 2016, First ILR and K. Hovnanian Homes proposed building 535 ranch-style houses on the property. The proposal failed to materialize after residents strongly opposed the idea.

Currently, part of the golf course has been converted to a 5-mile walking and biking path.

Scalera said the village board will use the feedback to formulate a draft plan that will be presented to the community before any decision is made.

The purchase of the open space did not include the resort's conference center buildings or the former hotel, which closed earlier this year after a fatal shooting in February during a party involving more than 100 people on the hotel's upper floors.

Scalera said that so far, there has been no serious offer to purchase those properties.