I don't think they are building a par 3 course. I see the picture shows a "potential" par 3 course in addition to the full size course. It looks like PGGCC is in cahoots with the City to finally put the boots to Pine Valley par 3 I'm sure this has been the intention of the City from day one. Why else put a road access in the sidewalk adjacent to the 8th hole at Pine Valley off of Ferry Ave??

Pine Valley is a bad course without the trees. It's just plain dangerous. It isn't the Cities fault that the Beetles took such a large toll.

And I think they will find that they don't have enough money and we will be put on the hook....

I oppose this project because it will cut into prime dirt biking territory....

Looks good. however I wish that the city (taxpayers) not put any money into this project and that PGGCC pay full city taxes on this new golf course. Nuff said.

If the dirt bikers want it to themselves they should have purchased it.

It'll make great condo property when the city hits 350,000 population in 2086. Hopefully everyone will remember who paid for it when it gets sold then.

Vickingnuck has it right. The picture represents the new 18 hole PGGCC Course, which is supposed to be completed for opening in 2010. Originally was to open 2009, however its running late. The proposed 18 hole par 3 is to the right of this course.

It will be interesting to see how this development unfolds. Here are some starting points.

(1) The present location of the PGGCC after it was attacked by beetles was to be redesigned for a cost of approx $3.5 Million. This proposal was shown on the Golf Course bulletin board for a number of months.

(2) The Golf course gets an offer from Pomeroy Group to buy the Golf Course and lands for 15.5 Million, with the proviso that the golf course could remain on the present property for 3 years until a new course was built. In addition I beleive that the curling club was to be allowed 8 years to find another location. In any event the proposal fell through, and the Golf Course was finally sold to a group of Investors from Vancouver. The Golf Course can remain where it is until the new one in ready in 2010. Dont know what happened to the Curling Club.

(3) Its interesting to note that as soon at the Golf Course got an offer of 15 Million for the property they immediatly dropped the plan to redesign the course.

(4) The Golf Course apparenlty is (1) Million in debt.

(5) The Golf Course buys 853 Acres at its new location, which is 4 times the amount of property it would need for a golf course. Albeit some of the property is hillside and not good for much.

(6) There is now a proposal to build a par 3 golf course at this new location.

(7) It is (in my opinion) almost impossible to build a state of the art 18 Hole golf course, parking lot, and club house for $15 Million, and also pay off $ 1 Million in debt, so how is this to take place.

(8) Annual Fees for members at the Golf Course in approx $1200.00 per year. With a membership at approx 650 this would generate $780,000.00 per year which might cover the Costs of maintenance and employees, in addition you would get maybe another $250,000.00 in green fees, tournaments, etc; and therefore this Golf Course will be cash challenged right from the get go.

(9) I beleive that we will see a proposal from the City to buy some of this land from the Golf Course to build a new 18 Hole par 3 course which would be run by the PGGCC. The money received from the City for the Property will help keep the Golf Course operational in the short term.

(10) The City will then be in a position to close down the par 3 course at Highway 16 and Range Road, and sell off this property at a huge profit, some of which will go to pay for the new par 3.

(11) Problem is the New par 3 will be to far out of town for a lot of people to go to play, and as a result will probably not be to busy. The present par 3 is used primarily by Juniors/Seniors/and Ladies.

(12) The other problem is, is that the average age of the members of the PGGCC is 55 years old. This means that unless they get in some new blood they will continue to lose members. With the location of this course you will probably at a minimum lose 2 to 3 weeks each year for golfing due to snow etc;, and this will effect membership.

(13) If this scenario turns out to be true you will have then seen the completion of the Recreational Grounds, on 16 West being turned into Commercial Property, and all the Recreational Facilities re-located through-out the City. I wonder how much the City got in cash for the sale of all this property.??

(14) One would hope that the people in charge of selling this property to the Vancouver Investors had enough sense to ensure that they will not convert this Golf Course, into an executive 9 hole course for the new apartment dwellers that will no doubt be moving into the area. Also this course would be available to people who stay at the Casino, and the Hotels across the street. If they keep a 9 Hole course open at this site it will have a detrimental effect on the new course and on the proposed par 3.

(15) The PGGCC does not have enough money to build the 18 Hole regulation course and a 18 Hole par 3, and therefore I suggest that the City has some involvement in what is happening, and at the end of the day the Citizens of Prince George will pay for it, even though some of the revenue came from selling off the property, it is still taxpayers money.

(16) I suspect that John MaGinnis School will be next on the list.

With all the golf courses around the need for City involvement has to be in question. Anyone know why the city has to be involved with golf???

We have Links of Maggie May, Ness Woods, Aberdeen, Aspen Grove, Yellowhead, Alder Hills. There's plenty of golf around PG. The two city supported golf courses - PG and PV - are redundant and not needed. Neither one is worth the price to run or forgo taxes. Those two city backed properties have held back other private investments for far too long. Anyone know why the city has got a Big Woody to run a golf course?

The new proposed location is the last place in town where the snow melts. All those hills, although pretty in the summer, shade the area and prolong the thawing out process by at least a month over the current location.

It is a concern for the dirt bikers and mountian bikers that use the area because it has some of the best back country hill riding around town. This would represent a huge lose of recreation area to the city that currently does not cost a dime in city tax dollars as is.

I don't think back country riders should have to subsidize the golfing elite with our recreation lands and our tax dollars.

All the power to the dirty bikers motorized and sweat powered!
I'm with you, brothers.
Some very thoughtful comments from Palopu. I sure hope the city is not planning on being involved in a new golf course, but all levels of government seem to think they have what it takes to run a business profitably. I disagree. I wish that all I had to do was set a budget for the following year, receive the money from the taxpayers, and use it to operate my business, that would make life easy. Got a short fall? No problem. Just get more for next year. Easy!
metalman.