Lake Countrysa国际传媒檚 only golf course will be missed as the Aspen Grove Golf Course is closing permanently on Nov. 1.
The nine-hole course, located on Bottom Wood Lake Road, was sold to the Central Okanagan Public Schools in 2013, and plans for the property include a new middle school and sports fields.
Golf course superintendent Rodi Gorrell has been maintaining the course for the last 10 years and said the course has operated in Lake Country since 1976.
Gorrell said he hoped the school district would keep a six-hole course.
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sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 a lot of courses in the States that are going from 18 holes to six holes and the reason for that is people donsa国际传媒檛 have the time for that anymore,sa国际传媒� he said.
His biggest concern is the lack of things to do for families in Lake Country.
sa国际传媒淐ome tourist season, we have a lot of families from Alberta, Saskatchewan and it was just nice for a family of four to go out and enjoy their time, but at the same time that doesnsa国际传媒檛 stop anything else from coming in,sa国际传媒� he said.
A lot of the members are also sad to see it go, he said.
sa国际传媒淪ome of these guys are out here daily golfing. They love their little course, itsa国际传媒檚 part of their routine, itsa国际传媒檚 something they can really afford,sa国际传媒� Gorrell said.
Memberships for the course were $540 a year. The course had 18,000 rounds in a season, but last season had 14,000 due to the wildfires and the smoke, he said.
The golf coursesa国际传媒檚 closure is not an usual pattern, according to Gorrell who has seen other closed recently.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been in the golf course industry for over 30 years so of course you never want to see a track or course shut downsa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 just part of it. Back 50, 60 years ago people were loving it, they were popping up, within the last 20 years, you cansa国际传媒檛 just have a golf course without houses around it because itsa国际传媒檚 not profitable,sa国际传媒� he said.
He said the rising cost of land has led to smaller courses with more developments around them.
sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 how a lot of it works right now too.sa国际传媒�
He hopes that one of the buildings can be used for a culinary program and part of the course could be used as a recreation centre.
The school board has been accommodating of the tenants already on the property, he said, which include a fitness centre and daycare. Gorrell will also stay and do maintenance around the property as per usual, he said.
On Sunday, the course will be holding a free round of golf with donations going to the Warren Peace Bunny Sanctuary.
Dori Hewitson, a resident of Lake Country since 1983, said shesa国际传媒檚 sad to see the course close.
sa国际传媒淭he few times my sons have taken me out here, it was a perfect golf course for me, and I just know that a lot of people use it, and Isa国际传媒檓 very sad to see it go. I know we need the middle school, but I just think is there another piece of property we could develop? Itsa国际传媒檚 just so beautiful,sa国际传媒� she said.
READ MORE: Sale of Aspen Grove golf course going ahead
Despite the slated closure, school district secretary-treasurer Eileen Sadlowski said nothing has been decided yet.
The date previously announced for construction of the new middle school was in May 2019, however, Sadlowski said the first part of construction will be the new fields which will be built on the existing golf course.
The school district will be building two full-sized fields, but discussions have been ongoing with the District of Lake Country to potentially put in more, she said.
She said the school district is currently in the planning and development stage for the new middle school. According to Sadlowski, the board is also considering options on what to do with the space with the six holes, but that option isnsa国际传媒檛 completely off the table.
sa国际传媒淭hey didnsa国际传媒檛 want to commit to any six hole framework right now,sa国际传媒� she said.
Property tenants will continue to have leases on a month to month basis, she said. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檒l give them a good heads up whenever that changes, but wesa国际传媒檙e not asking them to leave right now.sa国际传媒�
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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