The Lakeside Greens Golf Course Preservation Society presented the history of the golf course to the Chestermere Historical Foundation.
The Summer Village of Chestermere was first approached by Lakeside Greens Inc. to build a golf course, and the developer offered a clean water pipeline from Calgary. Excavation of the golf course and housing quickly followed.
When the village of Chestermere became a town, the town council had to overcome drainage concerns in the housing areas, and the town endured costs associated with stormwater management, after eliminating offsite levies, the society’s presentation said.
However, the clean Calgary water supply allowed for more opportunities to grow.
Developers built the clubhouse, and unlike a private club, the restaurant was designed as a neighbourhood pub and open to all.
Golf course memberships were limited to 230 players, with men’s, ladies, junior, and senior golf leagues.
In recent years, the golf course has reached record numbers with men’s, ladies, and junior leagues selling out, the society’s presentation said.
Adding, “Astounding levels of public play, and industry growth.”
With the threat of potential land rezoning and development, the society is now working to ensure the golf course will remain as one of Chestermere’s amenities for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Since 2020, the society has worked to preserve the golf course with initiatives including awareness campaigns, elected officials and candidate meetings, social media posts, advertising, lawn signs, and an online petition.
Developing the land would have a devastating impact on recreational amenities in Chestermere, as Chestermere is identified as a lake and golf course community, the society said.
In addition to amenity concerns, the ecosystem at the golf course would be destroyed.
“The housing developers who destroy inner-city parkland and recreational land to build their houses, aren’t doing so because they are mean. They are doing so for financial self-interest,” the presentation said.
If the land is rezoned to residential, the area would have surrounding paved roads, surrounding water pipelines, surrounding sewage lines, nearby power utilities, nearby city services including garbage, snow clearing, and street cleaning.
“It comes at huge cost to a normal non-destructive developer, who creates neighbourhoods on the outskirts of growing cities,” the presentation said.
Since 2021, residents and business owners have approached the Lakeside Golf Club owners to purchase and operate the club.
“The most recent offer was far greater than the current net value of Lakeside Golf Club,” the society said. “All three offers were rejected, or not even responded to by the current owners.”
