Thumbs down on golf-course study

Elected leaders voted Monday against spending up to $150,000 for a study on the state of golf in Calgary.

A city committee had previously approved the idea from city administration to spend between $75,000 to $150,000 on consultants, and the equivalent of nearly two full-time city employees, to review the state of golf and study the 23 active golf courses in Calgary.

City bureaucrats believed the study would help inform future golf course redevelopment applications. Four contentious redevelopments have been approved on former golf courses across the city since 2011 — decisions that have spurred protests, petitions and outcry from neighbours.

Council learned Monday the engagement process alone for the recent Highland Park golf course redevelopment cost $80,000. One councillor argued being proactive and spending money to understand the golf landscape now, from both a planning and recreation perspective, would save money in the future.

“Unless we have a clear picture of the future of golf ... we’re going to be stuck behind the eight-ball and reacting to one-offs every single time and that’s going to cost us a lot more money than the $75,000 to $150,000,” Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said.

But the idea didn’t gain traction with elected leaders, who voted 10-5 against pursuing the study with only councillors Ray Jones, Richard Pootmans, Jim Stevenson, Carra and Mayor Naheed Nenshi in favour of the study.

Councillors did support a pitch to send the province a letter about taxes paid by golf courses. It also asked administration to look at the idea of contracting out city golf courses and report back to council at budget time in November.