Reconstructing golf course will cost $4 million

BY F.M. WIGGINS
PROGRESS-INDEX STAFF WRITER
02/07/2007

PETERSBURG — Duffers may not be able to hit the links at Lee Park Golf Course quite yet, but if they want to ensure that it does open they may want to practice a short speech.

Council will hold a public hearing two weeks from now to hear about an appropriation of $4 million to reconstruct the golf course.

The golf course has been closed since 2003. Previously, the course was 6,037 yards; the newly redesigned course will be 663 yards longer.

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Assistant City Manager Eric Campbell said that the redesign makes the 18-hole course completely new. He added that the course will be completely irrigated once it is constructed.

“The old course didn’t have irrigation which really may have helped in its deterioration,” Campbell said.

Other features Campbell mentioned during the meeting include a fee structure of between $20 and $30 with specials and discount rates for Petersburg residents.

“This will also provide another positive activity for the youth of the city,” Campbell said.

During the meeting’s public information period portion, 11-year-old Ian Christian asked council for more activities for children his age.

“We need more things to keep young people like me off the streets,” Christian said. Specifically, Ian asked for a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant, skating rink and movie theater.

Linwood Christian, Ian’s father and a frequent speaker at public meetings, said that his son had decided to address council on Sunday.

“We were coming back from New York and he said that he thought he would speak to council because he doesn’t think there’s very much for children his age to do in Petersburg,” Christian said.

Christian and Ian left before Campbell could describe some of the aspects of the course that might draw children Ian’s age, including a U.S. Golf Association programs and possibly the popular and well known First Tee program. According to its Web site, First Tee works to impact the lives of young people through educational programs that promote character development and life enhancing values through the game of golf.

Campbell added that the golf course, which is owned by the city, will eventually operate as an enterprise fund and be self sustaining, but that for the first few years it will need to have some funding from the general fund.

Jeff Fleishman, president of Golf Business Advisors, said that in July 2006 when the city held a work session on the development of the golf course he had estimated that it might take $2.9 million to $3.9 million to develop the course.

“Since that time we went out to bid and arrived at a plan that puts the course reconstruction at $2.8 million,” Fleishman said.

But he added that there would be a significant number of other items and associated costs before the first golfer could tee off.

City Assistant Director of Public Works Ron Reekes said some of those 44 items include tee boxes, a golf cart contract, ball washers and paving of the parking lot area.

The total estimated cost to open the course for use to the public is $4 million.

Several residents spoke at the meeting regarding the prospects of opening the course again.

Linus Kojelis said that while golf courses are a hallmark of successful cities, he isn’t convinced the city should spend the money on the golf course.

“My understanding is that municipal golf courses are cash cows,” Kojelis said.

Downtown business owner Patricia Dillard said that while golf isn’t her cup of tea, she believes that with Fort Lee having a golf course, there wouldn’t be a need for the Lee Park Golf Course.

“We also have a harbor that needs to be developed that could draw people to the downtown,” Dillard said.

Others, however, said they were excited by the prospect of the reopening of the course.

“This is one thing that can’t be put downtown,” Charles Dubois said. “But it will improve the quality of life.”

John Hart said that he was starting to get excited about the idea of going for a round of golf at Lee Park.

“I’m ready to buy a membership,” Hart said.

Council will hold a public hearing during its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at Union Station to receive further public comment on the appropriation of $4 million for the construction of the golf course.

• F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 254 or fwiggins@progress-index.com.