The East Potomac Golf Course could, starting Monday, undergo extensive renovations under the Trump administration’s guidance, and for some the fight to try to stop that from happening continues.
Renderings of East Potomac “reimagined” as a championship golf course and a formal memorial space were included in a document obtained by the Washington Post allegedly seeking donations that will support President Donald Trump’s plans to remake parts of D.C.’s waterfront, including East Potomac Golf Course.
The renderings depict new water features and a redesigned clubhouse. They also show the golf course occupying most of the space, with much of the park’s existing bike paths and open recreational space gone.
Mike McCartin, National Link Trust Co-Founder, says these spaces are part of why the course is so special.
“It’s a great symbiotic relationship, and it goes back to the history of why this place was made in the first place to provide active recreation not just golf but a bunch of different ways of recreational activities to the residents of D.C.,” he said.
The image also appears to include fewer than 18 holes compared to the current 36 total holes.
The news organization NOTUS reported Friday that deferred maintenance work at the course would begin Monday.
Not knowing specifics of the project, like in which capacity this space will be available for D.C. residents after the upcoming renovations, makes some regulars feel uneasy.
“Golf is a game that is played by people who have a lot of resources and access to private courses, and this was the place where anybody could play and see these incredible views and come and just really be part of D.C., so I think it’s a huge loss,” said Caroline Holt, who played at the course for over 15 years.
Features that are part of the current site, including the mini golf course and the nearby East Potomac Tennis Center, also are not visible in the image.
As part of an ongoing lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior, the D.C. Preservation League filed for an emergency pause Sunday to prevent the golf course from closing. The document asks a federal judge in D.C. to set an emergency status conference and to prevent the administration from undertaking any steps towards the closure.
News4 reached out to the White House for comment about the specifics of the golf course project, when the park will reopen and comment on the petition for an emergency pause. We were deferred to the Department of the Interior and are still waiting on an answer from them.
Now, who will manage the course possibly starting tomorrow or once the administration officially takes over the project? Those are questions that as of now remain unanswered. The National Link Trust Team says for now, they will be there Monday with its usual opening time of 7 a.m.