15 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

You know, someone posted on my FB page today, commenting on how this course is truly sitting on millions of dollars worth of real estate.

And it got me thinking, who owns that thing? Is the property zoned only for golf course? Man, if someone sold it, they could get LOTS of money, if it could be sold for development.

[HB]

You know, someone posted on my FB page today, commenting on how this course is truly sitting on millions of dollars worth of real estate.

And it got me thinking, who owns that thing? Is the property zoned only for golf course? Man, if someone sold it, they could get LOTS of money, if it could be sold for development.

Ya you could say that about any undeveloped lot not a big surprise there that its worth money.

Beacon Hill Park is worth money too and so is all of the ocean side of Dallas Road.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ya you could say that about any undeveloped lot not a big surprise there that its worth money.

Beacon Hill Park is worth money too and so is all of the ocean side of Dallas Road.

Yes, but we know that's public land, and won't be going anywhere. Golf courses throughout North America are suffering. I'm just thinking out loud, a golf course isn't the best use of that land. I'm not saying it's losing money, or even close, but I am just a wonderin'.

[29er Radio]

The Victoria Golf Club land is zoned P3 commercial recreational which restricts its use to golf clubs yacht clubs and the like where buildings are allowed in conjunction with the use and user. It would be real hard to re zone. I haven't checked title yet but I bet it belongs to a society started up when it was founded which is solely used to run that site and more than likely the membership buys you a seat at the board a little like a strata corp or co op apt building.
There is probably a clause in the society mandate which would prevent a sale for alternative development.

[LJ]

^Exactly, it is owned by the VGC.

[Holden West]

Let's do a hypothetical: Golf dies as a popular pastime. Unlikely, but could happen in the future (recall that one of the most popular sports in Victoria in the 1930s was the six day bicycle race).

The golf club goes bankrupt. The land lies fallow, gets overgrown. The security guards employed by the bank that inherited the massive property aren't enough to control the influx of homeless campers and wild teenage parties.

Citizens demand something is done. Local rugby and soccer clubs join forces to take on the construction of a playing pitch but that only takes on a tiny percentage of the total acreage.

Five long years pass. Everyone is fed up with the weed-filled abandoned course. Citizens eagerly support a rezoning upon hearing a major developer's plan to build a mixed-use residential project incorporating a major public park component. The resulting sale is the biggest real estate transaction in BC since the Expo 86 lands.

[VicHockeyFan]

Let's do a hypothetical: Golf dies as a popular pastime. Unlikely, but could happen in the future (recall that one of the most popular sports in Victoria in the 1930s was the six day bicycle race).

The golf club goes bankrupt. The land lies fallow, gets overgrown. The security guards employed by the bank that inherited the massive property aren't enough to control the influx of homeless campers and wild teenage parties.

Citizens demand something is done. Local rugby and soccer clubs join forces to take on the construction of a playing pitch but that only takes on a tiny percentage of the total acreage.

Five long years pass. Everyone is fed up with the weed-filled abandoned course. Citizens eagerly support a rezoning upon hearing a major developer's plan to build a mixed-use residential project incorporating a major public park component. The resulting sale is the biggest real estate transaction in BC since the Expo 86 lands.

I appreciate that.

But as recently as the early 2000's, Gorge Vale cited fiscal concerns as a reason to carve a bit out of their lands to build condos.

That might be the way it happens.

[Sparky]

^ You are correct, but the sad part is the Gorge club is still not out of the woods yet.

Golf in general is on the decline. Younger golfers do not appear to want to get tied down with golfing at one location, and younger golfers are not picking up the sport in the same numbers that older ones are leaving the game.

I thought it would be different as the baby boomers retire.

Calgary is about to close a popular municipal course as it is loosing $200K a year. The states are plagued with closed courses that were built with a residential base on the perimeter. We stayed in such a house a few years ago in Reno when we went down to Hot August Nights. The course had been closed a little over a year. It was like living on the moon.

[VicHockeyFan]

^ You are correct, but the sad part is the Gorge club is still not out of the woods yet.We stayed in such a house a few years ago in Reno when we went down to Hot August Nights. The course had been closed a little over a year. It was like living on the moon.

No oxygen, very hot days and very cold nights, and a very low gravity?

[Bingo]

There is group that wants to install clay tennis courts at the south end of the Cedar Hill Golf Course.

Really? Who uses outdoor clay courts all year around, or even part of the year. This could be another loosing proposition like the clubhouse restaurant.

[Mike K.]

Forget the RVGC, what's going to happen with Cedar Hill? Saanich tax payers are footing the bill for that one and I never see more than a handful of older gentlemen (and ladies sometimes) putting about.

[LJ]

^Really? It is one of the busier courses around, but IIRC you can't make tee times there you just show up and wait your turn. They also have a very active ladies league.

You never see many people on a golf course because they are, or should be, spread out.

[VicHockeyFan]

wild teenage parties.

Now we're talking, how can we speed this up?

[Mike K.]

^Really? It is one of the busier courses around, but IIRC you can't make tee times there you just show up and wait your turn. They also have a very active ladies league.

You never see many people on a golf course because they are, or should be, spread out.

You know, perhaps I'm just not seeing it for what it is. If it's well used then that's a good thing

[Victoria Watcher]

does anyone remember a christmas day or boxing day golf tournament that was very popular?  and it was used a bit like the flower count to rub it in to eastern canadians?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 December 2018 - 02:36 PM.

[todd]

does anyone remember a christmas day or boxing day golf tournament that was very popular?  and it was used a bit like the flower count to rub it in to eastern canadians?

Still doesn’t top the time Pamela Anderson played a round.