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Plan to Move Golf Course Should Play Through

By Ben Meisner

Saturday, September 03, 2005 03:59 AM

Moving the Prince George Golf and Country Club to a new site off Foothills in the Hart area, makes much more sense than trying to re- make the old facility. 

A Developer's offer to purchase the land, means that the cash could go to the new facility and the area in question at a price of $750,000 would be a good buy. 

Former Mayor, Harold Moffat has always held to the belief that the City should be (in at least a good measure) the benefactor of any money that comes from the sale of the current golf course property,  given how the club got its start,.  However, he hasn’t been able to attract many followers for his idea and it generally held that lets sell the land build a new course and get on with it. 

There is little question that the "big club" as it is often referred to, is being subsidized by the city taxpayers and amongst them are the other golf courses that operate in the city. 

In the bigger picture however, is the problem of leaving an eye sore in the current location, or opting for a pocket full of money and allowing the area to become retail and residential. 

We have long ago given up all hope of trying to develop the down town and the area around it, so let’s take the best option. 

The hope that someday people will be living in the down town is just so much nonsense and trying to stifle development in order to force people into the core just isn’t going to work. 

I'm Meisner, and that, is one man's opinion.


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Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 03:59 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Comment Posted by: Runner46 on September 3 2005 10:03 AM
Again you are throwing the baby out with the bath water. Although I agree with you regarding the golf course situation, I am disapointed with your attituded on downtown development. The City of Vancouver despaired for nearly a century before Gastown started to evolve. How did that come about?
Comment Posted by: gypsy on September 3 2005 11:25 AM
I do not think anyone feels they have the luxury of a century to "despair."
25 years has already been spent with none but the brightest minds in this community sitting at Prince George City Hall and contemplating the major moves which must be undertaken to revitalize this downtown.
Some of the great minds have moved on!!!! Only the ones entrenched in official positions can claim longevity, and inevitably, they now run city hall, unofficially that is.
I think the Mayor and Council are just "sitting ducks" waiting for removal by the citizens of this community. Oh, and they must take George.
Amazing, one never sees anyone directly connected with city hall moving downtown.
Guess it is not necessary to "practice what you preach."
I, personally, think it would be quite fitting if they all took up residence in the downtown area.
I do believe they would find a way to fit in and revitalize!!!!!
What a great start!!!!
Comment Posted by: Chadermando on September 4 2005 2:51 AM
Ben I really respect that opinion. Not because I agree with it, but because you have a financial stake in the downtown and in a case like that it take a real man to admit the obvious for the good of the city over the good of your personal pocket book.

That said I'm a firm believer that this new approach is the kind that raises all ships in the end anyways.

Time Will Tell
Comment Posted by: trueblue2 on September 4 2005 10:03 PM
$750,000 sounds very low to me. Is this true? Seems this property would sell for at least $1 million considering location, location, location.
Comment Posted by: spanky on September 5 2005 10:35 PM
Send those golf bums packing with a tax bill at their new home. Deadbeat tenants do not usually last forever, when a bill is presented they run off to the next sucker. I just hope the city has learned their lesson and actually decides to start taxing them at their new location.

later....
Comment Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on September 8 2005 9:34 PM
It isn't a done deal yet. Sand is terrible to build on and a nightmare to maintain. Where's the water? Isn't that area mostly Pine? That location is pretty close to the snow belt in the Hart and will lose some season time. If the Big Club wants all these troubles why not buy Aberdeen Glen?
Too many ugly answers for this to be a done deal.