Roseland ponds to add flood relief
Historic golf course’s restoration will include the Lennon Drain
CHRIS THOMPSON
The Roseland Golf and Curling Club is turning back the clock to 1926 as it undergoes some significant changes that will return the course to its original design, and help reduce flooding in the surrounding area.
But don’t worry, duffers, you won’t have to revert to hickory clubs.
The Essex Region Conservation Authority and the City of Windsor are teaming up to restore the Lennon Drain, which once flowed through the course, but was filled in about 35 years ago.
“The big project here is first and foremost the stormwater retention and stormwater management project that is being coordinated by the City of Windsor and the Essex Region Conservation Authority and what is really needed is for the Lennon Drain to convey water again and also to have the capacity to store water for the benefits of residents in the Roseland area and residents upstream of the Lennon Drain,” said Roseland general manager Phil Roberts.
What was then known as Roseland Park Country Club was designed by famous Scottish golf course designer Donald Ross, who designed 400 golf courses between 1900 and 1948.
“So we’re actually putting water back to where it existed in the original design, so it’s rather a heritage project, so Roseland is really benefiting from this because this is an expensive project, it’s not something that we could undertake ourselves, but for the benefit of the residents around here and to the benefit of the golfing community,” said Roberts.
“I think Donald Ross would be pleased to see water back on his course.”
What was the Lennon Drain now flows through a drain pipe beneath where the drain once was, its banks now covered in grass, “but it’s nowhere near the capacity that’s required to deal with the rain events that we have in today’s climate,” Roberts said.
On Tuesday, workers for AECOM began cutting down trees to make way for some of the retention ponds that will be interconnected with the drain.
The effect of the new ponds will be particularly felt on the eighth and ninth holes.
“The people that are familiar with it from before are excited and not excited at the same time,” said Roseland golf professional Randy McQueen.
“Those who don’t remember it are interested because of water. It’ll be good for the most part. You will have a few people a little antsy.”
Mike Dargis of Grand Rapids, Mich., remembers first playing the course when the Lennon Drain was still there.
“I truly enjoyed the course,” said Dargis. “I enjoyed the old course much more than I do this course.”
The ponds near holes 8 and 9 will include aquatic habitat enhancements, fringe area tree planting and the creation of environmentally sensitive areas.
The construction of the ponds and removal of the fill, which begins Monday, will necessitate the closure of the main course and the entire Par 3 course for much of October.
“The course isn’t closed,” said Roberts. “We’re going to actually have a little fun. We have nine holes to offer for $19.26, the year that Donald Ross conceived the course, and we’ll throw in a 10th, and if you’re a real hardcore golfer I guess you can come back around and golf 20 holes. It’s going to be a fun and challenging fall for the Roseland Golf and Curling Club for sure.”
Roberts said that, weather permitting, the course could reopen later this fall.
“The reason we are doing this now and why it’s been critical for Roseland to do it now, we need the ability to grow grass,” said Roberts. “This is going to happen pretty quickly. If we get a good November we’ll actually reopen for play if we get grass caught,” he said.
And then it would be business as usual for the new and improved course in the spring.