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Saskatoon city hall will exhume the controversial possibility of relocating and redeveloping Wildwood Golf Course.
Rob Lee, who’s golfed at the 94-year-old course for 20 years, said he’s not too concerned about the prospect.
It would cost millions to build a replacement course and public opinion is firmly against the idea, he said.
“And with our taxes always going up, I cannot see the city spending that kind of money before they even close Wildwood, so I would say it will get nixed,” Lee said at city hall after attending Wednesday’s city council meeting.
“And if it did have to come to a petition and a plebiscite, I’m sure it would [get defeated].”
Council voted 6-5 to pursue the idea proposed by Coun. Zach Jeffries, with several councillors commenting on how many messages they’ve received about the fate of the east-side golf course, which is located in the Wildwood neighbourhood.
Fourteen people wrote to council in opposition to moving the links — a high number for an inquiry at such an early stage.
The letters reflected that the city-owned course is also popular during the winter months with cross-country skiers.
Coun. Scott Ford, whose ward includes Wildwood, said councillors’ phones “lit up like a Christmas tree” over the issue.
Jeffries apologized to his colleagues for a “lack of clarity” in his original request. He added that any new course would have to be equal to or better than Wildwood and open prior to Wildwood closing. He also wants a requirement that cross-country ski access be maintained.
Coun. Robert Pearce, who voted against the idea of a study along with Ford, Coun. Troy Davies, Coun. Bev Dubois and Mayor Cynthia Block, asked about the cost of building a new golf course.
City hall administration officials were unable to offer an answer on the price, but said that would be part of the study. City manager Jeff Jorgenson suggested an interim report could help determine whether the study moves forward in its entirety.
Jeffries said if the early report suggests it’s not feasible, he would be content to shelve the idea. A full report would take about a year. Any actual move of the course would happen 10 or 15 years in the future, Jeffries speculated.
Nine out of 10 councillors spoke on the matter; those in favour said the study is worthwhile to allow council to make an informed decision.
“We can support density and infill without competing with the displacement of a functioning, well-used and loved public asset,” Ford said.
Coun. Troy Davies said he voted against the study due to his nostalgia for having learned to golf at the course.
Even though Block voted against the study, she said the question Jeffries asked has revealed how people feel about the golf course.
“There’s an unbelievable amount of passion — people love this golf course — that none of us would have fully understood if it wasn’t for this coming to us today,” Block said.
Saskatoon residents have twice voted directly on the possibility of moving Wildwood Golf Course and both times the idea was soundly rejected.
Voters first defeated the prospect during a vote in the 1976 civic election by 24,869 to 6,902. A second vote was held four years later, as some council members remained fixated on the idea of redeveloping the land for housing. That vote happened during a byelection and it also lost definitively.
How they voted
Here’s how Saskatoon city council voted Wednesday on exploring the feasibility of relocating Wildwood Golf Course and redeveloping the land.
In favour: Councillors Randy Donauer, Zach Jeffries, Holly Kelleher, Kathryn MacDonald, Jasmin Parker, Senos Timon.
Against: Mayor Cynthia Block, councillors Troy Davies, Bev Dubois, Scott Ford, Robert Pearce.
