Friends of Pine Valley Pleased with Election Result
Friends of Pine Valley spokesperson Don Chamberlain – photo 250 News
Prince George, B.C. – Friends of Pine Valley are pleased with the recent municipal election results.
Spokesperson Don Chamberlain says it likely means the course has a better chance at surviving into the future with majority support from mayor and council.
“I think it absolutely will. There’s no doubt about that. At least two of the new councillors say they want Pine Valley kept open. The third one wants to see it’s not costing money to the taxpayer and I’ve got lots of ideas to ensure it doesn’t.”
He says the next step will be to meet with the new council and bring everyone up to speed on the issue – hopefully in the form of a one on one meeting.
“I think they’ve had two way communication with other groups like the Performing Arts Centre people. Why can’t we do that with Pine Valley?”
Currently the operator of the course has a two year contact with the city (signed last spring) and Chamberlain says to ensure the course’s survival they’ll need an eight to 10 year deal so that the operator can put some money into the course for necessary improvements (which the city estimates at $1.7 million).
However he says there’s a catch.
“Yes, there’s a problem there I’m sure. The operator has to borrow money. You can’t borrow money if you don’t own the land and I know the current operator told me he tried (and failed). So there has to be some kind of partnership with the city.”
Chamberlain says one solution would be for the city to invest in a driving range which he argues would pay for the improvements.
“When we had a driving range there it net the city at least $120,000 to $140,000 the last two years it operated.”
And Chamberlain says there’s no doubt there’s a need for another driving range in the city.
“The Prince George Golf and Curling Club has a little wee range. Those members want access to a range. The students in our school district all have to take golf and the best place is Pine Valley because of its central location. So with a driving range there will be a lot of dollars pouring in there.”
And above all else he says the course fills an important need in the city.
“There are Special Olympians. The only place they can golf is Pine Valley. It’s hazard free and it caters to all abilities.”
Comments
Great course for a quick game with my kids. Hope they find a way to keep it going long term.
My suggestion would be to look into the possibility of re-designing it as a 9 hole course and re-developing that entire site to include the municipal 9 hole course, higher density residential, light commercial and additional par space. I think it could be a great little development in the core of the city that would possibly be cost neutral for the city to develop and revenue producing in the future as a result of increased taxes.
It could also go a long ways to beautify that area of town. I could easily see some ponds there, trails that could be used for walking in the summer or cross country skiing in the winter, etc. All of this would create a nice, modern mixed used area that could serve as a model for future developments while still providing the people of the city with a nice recreational facility.
Yes, I’m sure Mr. Chamberlain is delighted the taxpayers of Prince George will continue to subsidize his golf playtime.
I believe that a community needs recreation that is accessible to all and that’s why we have swimming pools, parks, soccer & baseball fields and of course ice arenas. Those facilities would be too expensive for a private operator to run and still have it be accessible to all. Golf courses are a whole other thing though. Here we’re using taxpayer money to compete with private interests. A municipal government shouldn’t enter into the business realm and compete with its constituents. That’s just plain dumb. It should be put up for sale to the highest bidder and the new owner should have to abide by the OCP in its development. End of story.
Start upping the fees. If there are so many people who want to keep it going let them foot the bill.
The OCP ? Bahahaha…..
I don’t golf, but I certainly am in support of keeping affordable and convenient golfing at Pine Valley, if even nine holes, rather than see another auto parking lot! Some senior affordable condos would be nice for part of it though.
In my humble opinion, downsizing to 9 holes is wrong. Keep it as it is, or it will be gone. It’s a fun course to play and it’s central to the town.
Used to be an airport, let’s keep it as a golf course.
NMG and Sine, agree. How many other Cities are in the golf course business? Don’t we have a number of privately owned courses where people can play? These are rented out all the time to special events
Zena – Google “municipal golf courses” you will find listings for Saanich, Burnaby, Victoria, Vancouver, TriCities, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and if you look hard enough probably 50 more in BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. They are usually listed under park services.
Also, there are privately owned ice rinks, soccer pitches (indoor and outdoor) and swimming pools of various types across western Canada.
Perhaps if you look at a municipal golf course as publicly owned green space land reserve subsidized by golfers you might be happier. Absolutely it is time to consider a more integrated services approach. Other communities have integrated walking trails, dog parks, bicycle paths, etc along with golf courses in the green space. This would require some vision for the future rather than riding an outdated hobby horse. As an aside, the developers of the modern private golf course make their profits on the real estate developments next to the golf course. Many developers/operators are quite happy if the golf course comes close to breaking even.
The students in our school district all have to take golf and the best place is Pine Valley because of its central location.
Is this correct? Can someone elaborate on this?
Doesn’t this sound like we might have a bunch of pro golf couse councillors bought and paid for already.???????
Zena,
I guess you are not aware that you are subsidizing the Prince George Golf and Curling CLub with a lot more of taxpayers dollars than what is put into the Pine Valley by the city.
As mentioned before, the golf course looked after itself until the city sold the driving range to become a car lot.
Why is the city subsidizing the PGG&CC when it is supposed to membership driven?
Apparently no on can answer that question!
The PV course is used by many a school along with people with special needs and the seniors as it is affordable.
Sine Nominee – we all know what the city thinks of the OCP – Does the Haldi Fiasco ring a bell?
Zena, If one is to buy into your arguments, then it is time to shut down the public school system as there are private schools in the province and we shouldn’t be using tax dollars to compete with them … and there are private medical surgeries in the province so let’s shut down the hospital operating rooms … and there a private seniors complexes, and private universities, and private airports and the list goes on.
guesswhat, If I recall correctly, are not most of the subsidy dollars at the PGC&CC related to curling expenses?
There’s a gentleman in his mid 90’s that enjoys to play the full 18. I think it’s a great asset to the city of Prince George
Absolutely the Pine Valley Golf course is a boon to the City. It was built over the years mainly my contractors that built and ran the course, the driving range, and the batting cages. The City sold off the driving range, and batting cages, and then later started to complain that the course wasn’t making any money,. Hmmmmm.
The people who want to sell off this course to commercial interests, are very short sighted. I say short sighted, because if I said what I would like to say to these people I would be kicked off this site.
I’m a little sick and tired of those who would basically steal park land from juniors, seniors, and mobility challenged, to make room for some less than stellar parking lot for some car sales people, or for some commercial developer that could locate anywhere in the City.
Time for those in favour of selling this course to do some investigating on their own, so that they have some clue, as to what they are talking about.
There is NO reasonable case that can be made to sell this course, other than greed.
Pine Valley was a nice course back in the day, until the pine beetle killed off all the trees. Lots of people even played golf back then. For some reason, there is a small vocal special interest group who shouts down anyone who might suggest the City get out of the golf business (and the includes the subsidies to the PGGCC as well).
Sell the course and put the proceeds towards the City’s debt. I know it will never happen.
Pine Valley is a great little course… We keep hearing we want PG to grow. Having this par 3 course in town is a good thing. If we want people to retire here we need things like this for them to do. We subsidise lots of sports here, why should Pine Valley be any different?
This little course is a jewel, I played my very first game of golf there close to forty years ago. Leave it be . Question I have , why is there no information on the Delta site downtown ? word was they where starting up again in Oct.Looks like now they are going to hide it with a fence .
It’s interesting to me that the people who scream the loudest about tax increases start to cry when someone questions the use of tax dollars on something they want subsidized. Which tells me tax increases only upset them when they don’t get what THEY want. This golf course needs an estimated $1.7 million in capital upgrades. I can think of much better things to spend that kind of cash on.
The only shortsightedness here is on the part of the people who don’t seem to get how this could serve quite nicely when it comes to infill development. Development that would contribute to the tax coffers in perpetuity, not empty them. There are City services all around this area, so residential development makes good sense. We have to start to be smarter and more strategic about the distribution of City services if this community is to survive at all.
If memory serves, there are 6 other golf courses in this town, that offer a range of skill/cost options for most every golfer. Governments should not compete with legitimate businesses. No business can compete with the deep pockets of government, nor should they have to. We subsidize enough recreation in this town. We need to be smarter with our money and stop pandering to the special interests of a vocal few; that is not democratic.
This course needs nothing more than someone to mow the grass, summer students who need the money :),, one point seven for what ??? put gas in the lawn mower ?
a fleet of very nice lawnmowers ,,, A lawn mower any citizen of this great city could borrow any time they like. Now where did I put my beer dangdit
Without a name -> since when is wiping out green space called “infill development” … not a golfer, never complained about my property taxes … the “developers” that want this space will find other spaces to buy in PG if they are firmly and consistently denied the official green space and parks. So there is no loss of revenue, the developer would prefer lot A but now buys lot B.
Just think for a moment of all of the developers that would love to develop Stanley Park in Vancouver (or Fort George Park in Prince George) … just because they want to develop the green space, doesn’t mean they should get it. And just because another auto sales outlet or some other box store want to develop Pine Valley doesn’t mean they should get get either.
“infill development” means to re-purpose under-utilized lots or revitalize derelict properties, not wipe out green space. Some infill development might actually create new green space to enrich neighborhoods.
They want to spend 2.5 million on the library entrance.. 1.7 million on a golf course .. Axe the library entrance and put the money into pine valley and just saved $800,000.
@p val
But then your still left with a big problem.
I played Pine Valley 5 or 6 times within the last couple years. MY wife (who is just starting) doesn’t want to play that course. She says it boring and hardly looks maintained, and she is right.
I am absolutely for keeping this course, but it needs to be down sized. Make it a 9 hole course, Sell the rest of the property to a developer with the contingency they have to pay a fee over 10 years to allow for adequate maintenance of PV. If the Developers are so stoked for this land, the fee won’t stop them.
The lack of education is staggering. Green space isn’t that useful if you can’t access it without paying green fees, having or renting clubs, wearing special shoes, moving around the course swiftly, etc.. If it was developed with residential infill, park space that everyone could use, not just golfers ,would be a mandatory part of the development.
Pine Valley is not Stanley Park. What a silly analogy. P.S. I wasn’t talking to you.
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