Over 50 volunteers help with Hope golf course flood and windstorm cleanup

Over 50 volunteers help with Hope golf course flood and windstorm cleanup

Published 5:30 am Saturday, January 3, 2026

Hope ended the year with its community spirit on full display thanks to residents who showed up to help the Hope Golf & Country Club clean up its golf course.

Despite the snow and temperatures below zero, over 50 volunteers “braved the nippy weather” Tuesday morning (Dec. 30) to clean up the damage caused by early December’s windstorm and heavy rains. People both young and old showed up for the cleanup which included members from the golf club, Hope Communities in Bloom, the Rotary Club of Hope, Hope’s Fluffy Hikers Club, and the Mission Golf Club.

“I feel gratitude for all the people that came out today and have been concerned about us,” said Tracy Macfarlane, board member of the Hope Golf & Country Club Society and captain of the Hope Ladies Golf Club. “It’s just awesome. There’s nothing better than the volunteerism in Hope. You ask for help and you get tons of people helping out.”

Volunteers picked up branches and chopped up fallen trees for two hours.

Heavy rain and atmospheric river conditions caused the Coquihalla River to overflow and cut through the golf course. The river now flows through the green and turned hole No. 7 into an island. Steve Wilson, president of the society, previously spoke with The Standard and estimated that 10 to 15 per cent of the golf course was washed away by the overflowing.

This was the second time that the golf course faced damage from flooding. In 2021, flooding from the two atmospheric river events submerged a portion of the golf course in water. This happened due to the dike at No. 8 breaching and water overflowing.

A fixture of Hope for at least 60 years, the golf course was built and has been maintained by volunteers. It has been enjoyed by the community and hosted various golf tournaments and social events during this time.

Though the golf club is still not accepting donations at this time, Macfarlane said that people can support them by writing to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), Fraser-Nicola MLA Tony Luck, and Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl about the damage caused by the Coquihalla River. Specifically, the society is asking that the letters ask that future flooding be addressed and to improve flood mitigation when concerning the river.

In an email addressed to members of the society, Wilson asks that people keep their letters respectful and polite.