Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds hopes the Municipal Golf Advisory Committee can find a way to save the struggling golf course.
The advisory committee, formed late last year to look for ways to keep Municipal Golf Course permanently open after a motion was passed in October to extend the facility's life by one year, held its first meeting Thursday evening at city hall.
Over the course of the next few months, the committee will be looking for ways to make Municipal more sustainable.
They have a lot of work ahead of them, Foulds said.
“I think we have to take a look outside the box here,” he said. “What are our revenue options? What are our fee structures?”
“I think we need to take a look at how we provide this service and are there different ways to provide this service that maintain the service but are perhaps more cost effective.”
The committee consists of four members from city council and three citizen members.
That includes Mayor Keith Hobbs and Northwood Coun. Mark Bentz, who were elected chair and vice-chair of the committee respectively and voted to close and sell Municipal last fall, and Foulds and Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm, who voted to give the course the extra year.
Foulds said he’s glad they have a diversity of councillors along with community members; it gives the golf advisory committee credibility.
“I think we need to take some hard looks from all points of view. I think we all get along. We don’t necessarily all agree, but at the end of the day we have healthy debate, healthy discussion,” he said.
At the meeting, all present members expressed what their goals were for the committee. Citizen members Tony Stokaluk and Dennis Halabecki both want to save Municipal Golf Course.
Members of the golf community, they said it’s a perfect course for beginners and seniors.
“It’s the most walkable property in this city,” said Halabecki. “It belongs in the city system.”
To see the property used for anything other than golf is not really right, he added.
They have to find a way to make the course sustainable, but Halabecki doesn’t see the answer as increasing user fees.
Hobbs agreed the answer isn’t raising fees, but in increasing the volume of people who use the course.
And while the mayor voted to close the course, he said he’d be happy if Municipal broke even.
Rydholm said she’s been hearing how Municipal Golf Course is different than other city courses and she’s part of the committee to learn what makes it so unique.
“If it is (unique), there’s value in that,” she said.
The committee expects to have their terms of reference set by the end of the month and will present a report to council on their findings in July.
