[Saanich] Royal Oak Golf Course lands

real reason is that there’s a lot of empty space where they live and they kind of like it that way.

You nailed it ... typical nimby group backed up by a spineless council, who complain about the housing crises, but do nothing to help alleviate it. 

The area is right next to the huge green space around beaver and elk lakes. You can literally walk to the end of your block and be in it. And clearly, the land will never be used for agriculture. Maybe those against reasonable development should start admitting the real reason is that there’s a lot of empty space where they live and they kind of like it that way.

You nailed it ... typical nimby group backed up by a spineless council, who complain about the housing crises, but do nothing to help alleviate it. 

Yup, imagine the complaints if the owner were to start farming those parcels

Perfect place for a cattle feed lot! 

Perfect place for a cattle feed lot! 

Or a regional composting facility.

Do we know who built the homes facing onto the golf course? Many communities spring up because of a golf course.

Generally, the same developer who builds the golf course, will build the real estate. Golf courses are kind of a money maker, real estate on golf courses though - that's the real money maker. 

ah, a house builder, that makes sense why I have never heard of him.  Well I hope he has some good luck rezoning and removing the land from the ALR

 

I think we all know why the houses around the existing golf course want it retained.  They want to have views of a lovely golf course rather than views of another house and back yard

 

I think my municipality should buy the houses on either side of me and turn it in to park land too haha

I think they will be needing a lot of luck. That is a very difficult group to work through a rezoning with. 

I think they will be needing a lot of luck. That is a very difficult group to work through a rezoning with. 

The Royal Oak Neighbourhood Plan explicitly states that it supports removing the golf course from the ALR. It's from 2001, but the policy goes back as far as 1993!

FWIW, only the bits to the west are in the ALR. The part between the buildings is not.

https://www.timescol...-alr-1.23989159

A letter writer to the TC today maintains that removal from the ALR will not then allow development of the former Royal Oak Golf Course as it still remains outside the urban containment boundary. He goes on to stress the importance of not allowing changes to this boundary in times of “climate emergency” in order to sustain “ climate resilient Saanich”.

$9,500,000

Former Royal Oak Golf course - Please contact listing agent for brochure and further information. (26491284)

https://www.realtor....anich-royal-oak

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 May 2023 - 06:25 AM.

Saanich should just buy this and work out a great plan.

Or the 300 condos nearby should chip in $30,000 each and make it a private park just for them.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 May 2023 - 07:30 AM.

Thank you, VW!

Some more background info on how we got to here, from there.

Shuttered Royal Oak Golf Club property listed for sale at $9.5 million

https://victoria.cit...le-9-5-million/

Saanich municipal staff wrote a report to council in 2019 recommending council reject an application to remove it from the reserve and the issue was dropped.

Real estate listing agent Santanna Portman with William Wright Commercial said Wednesday that potential buyers are encouraged to do their due diligence and talk to the nearby community representatives to understand what use of the site would be welcome. The site, listed this week, is promoted on the real estate firm’s website as suitable for development.

So far there’s been some interest in bringing it back as a golf course, while others have talked about contacting the municipality and donating part of it as parkland, Portman said. Some prospective buyers are interested in long-term development, she said.

The nine-hole golf course closed in 2015. The owners said at that time that it was not economically viable. The site holds a clubhouse with meeting rooms, an equipment rental space and restaurant facilities with an outdoor patio with seating for up to 120. A golfers’ lounge with a private meeting room can accommodate up to 75 people.

https://www.timescol...million-6983968

This site was shopped around for a long time off-market. Nobody could find a way to make the acquisition work, so now it’s on the market. As VW says, maybe Saanich should buy it.

For $2M perhaps but not $9M.