Prince George, B.C.- The City of Prince George is going to apply to the Northern Development Initiative Fund to  carry out a study  on the Pine Valley Golf Course.

The City is hoping to secure up to  $9,000 for a study which  would look at  possibly re configuring the  golf course to  include a driving range,  the costs associated with  that  reconfiguration, the economic impact of a reconfiguration,  an assessment of the current irrigation system, and the  feasibility of refurbishing as compared to replacing the  irrigation system.

Pine Valley  is viewed as a user  friendly course for beginners,  seniors and those with mobility challenges.  It has  been hit hard by the mountain pine beetle epidemic, and the loss of the driving range is also  considered a factor in  the reduction in  use and revenue for the contractor who operates the course.

The $9 thousand would be  half of the cost of the study, with the balance covered  by the City in the 2016 capital plan.

Not all of Council  supports the idea, with Councillor Albert Koehler offering the  sole  opposition  to this application.   In  stating his support for the  application,  Mayor Lyn Hall referred to  Pine Valley as a “gem” in the  city.