Kananaskis golf course re-opening after flood

After five years and millions of dollars in public investment, the Kananaskis Country Golf Course reopened Thursday.

The course was extensively damaged in the 2013 flooding that swept through southern Alberta and the rebuilding effort was surrounded by political wrangling and controversy.

The former Progressive Conservative government committed $18 million to rebuild the course in 2014, followed by the NDP government putting an additional $5 million toward the project, despite their unhappiness with the deal signed by the Tories.

Matt Dykstra, spokesman for Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, said the budget for reconstruction held steady at $23 million.

And the province still expects to recoup $14 million of its initial $19-million commitment from the federal government’s disaster assistance program, with the hope Ottawa will also cover the additional $5 million. However, no payment has yet been made.

“We’re still in discussions,” said Dykstra.

The province is also estimating it will make $450,000 in revenue from golf course operations this year, with that money to be redirected to improvements to the William Watson Lodge — a barrier-free facility for people with disabilities — in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

In opposition, the NDP was sharply critical of the PC government’s expenditures to rebuild the golf course and its deal with the course’s operator, Kan-Alta Golf Management. That agreement saw the government on the hook for lost operating costs and liable for any damages over $100,000 incurred by the company from flooding, with the company receiving $13.9 million under the deal.

After the NDP took office, however, Phillips announced the government would not tear up the contract, which runs through 2025, because an independent report indicated it could cost taxpayers up to $16.9 million. However, the government has said the contract will go out to tender when it expires.

Darren Robinson, the general manager of the Kananaskis Country Golf Course, said Wednesday the reviews by government did push back the course’s reopening, which was originally scheduled for 2017.

But he said the revamped course is worth the wait.

“It gave us an opportunity to sort of remodel your dream home,” said Robinson.

Robinson said he expects an enthusiastic turnout for the course after years of pent-up demand.