The Municipal Golf Course committee is recommending rolling back fees to what they were six years ago in an effort to save the struggling city-owned course.
Some members of council attended the golf course committee meeting Wednesday night, which lasted a few hours. The majority of those who attended voted to move ahead with recommendations they hope will make the 89-year-old Oliver Paipoonge facility financially viable.
The proposed recommendations include rolling back fees to what they were in 2007. This would mean that a nine-hole weekday fee would cost about $24 instead of $29.
The recommendations also include a Municipal only membership.
The full list of recommendations will come before council on April 22.
Northwood Coun. Mark Bentz and mayor Keith Hobbs voted against the recommendations. Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm voted for the presentation to come to council.
Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds didn’t vote as he had to leave the meeting.
The recommendations are focused on reducing fees as the committee was unable to find any operation savings.
Bentz said he wasn’t confident that the rolled back fees would be enough to save Municipal.
“Folks on the committee believe that lowering prices will increase the sustainability,” he said. “But if we’re stealing volume from other courses we’re putting private businesses at jeopardy. Then we’re back into competition issues with the private sector.”
Hobbs, who voted against keeping the golf course open for another year, said he wanted to give council a chance to look over the recommendations before discussing them publicly.
“We came up with three basic recommendations with the major one being the fee structure change,” Hobbs said. “I wasn’t in favour of the recommendations. I didn’t see enough evidence to justify it. “
He added they have to get a 60 per cent increase in attendance at the golf course to achieve their goal, which he called impossible.
The golf committee formed last year in order to take a long, hard look at green fees and memberships, as well as overall costs.
A 2012 core business review report suggested the city could save taxpayers $100,000 a year or more by closing and selling Municipal.
Hobbs said the meeting heated up at times.
“The bottom line is the course is still going to be open for this year,” he said. “We want people using the course. If people really love this course then use it and generate those revenues.”
Committee member Tony Stokaluk refused to comment on the proposed plan but went on to say that if council doesn't accept the recommendations, then they at least they tried their best and will accept the decision to close down Municipal.
