City council will financially support the Hillcrest and Lynbrook golf courses by helping them replace a pump that provides the water they need to irrigate their greens.
During the April 10 executive committee meeting, council unanimously approved a recommendation that the City of Moose Jaw sign an agreement to replace the Snowdy Springs pump and split the cost three ways. This pact is for this issue only and will not affect their existing agreements.
The recommendation will become official once council approves it as a motion during a future regular meeting.
The pump’s replacement cost is $68,104, and based on the three-way split, each party will pay $22,701. The city will buy the pump, while the golf clubs will pay the city $4,540 annually over five years.
The city expects its financing costs over five years to be an extra $6,000, so its total contribution expense is $28,701, a council report said.
Jasmine Cameron, general manager at Hillcrest, and Deb Higgins, board president at Lynbrook, spoke to council about this issue.
Past concerns
City administration originally brought this issue to the March 27 executive committee meeting and suggested it be received and filed — forcing the two golf clubs to pay for the pump — but council tabled the issue because it wanted more information about past agreements and the city’s water use from Snowdy Springs.
An April 10 report provided some answers, including:
- There was no three-way cost-sharing agreement because the city maintained the infrastructure in exchange for a flat annual fee
- Council’s direction from 2016-17 was that the users should pay the costs to maintain the system
- Rosedale Cemetery was disconnected from Snowdy Springs in the 1980s and hasn’t used that water since
- The city does not use the spring’s water in Crescent Park because the clubs could run out of liquid late in the season — that occurred three years ago — and lose irrigation capacity; the city only pumps enough to fill their reservoirs
Presentations
The clubs put most of their revenues into irrigating and maintaining large green spaces while attempting to remain competitive with other sporting activities, which is why they wanted the three-way cost split, said Cameron.
“As non-profit organizations as well, we’re always trying to make ends meet … and something like this (three-way agreement) sounded like a good thing to have,” she added.
When asked what effect the province’s imposition of PST has had, Cameron said Hillcrest sets its rates annually and attempts to address unforeseen circumstances. Paying half the cost would be a two-steps-back situation since the club has other projects on its priority list.
The pandemic was good for golf — players could physically separate — and Hillcrest had two good years, but with the pandemic ending, participation is declining, she added.
Many people assumed that past agreements were three-way partnerships, but it was surprising to see the two-way cost split for the pump in the most recent agreements, said Higgins. She assumed the city paid for repairs and maintenance, while she didn’t realize the clubs were billed for that.
“… when you look at the Hillcrest and the Lynbrook, we operate and maintain — quite well, I think — the largest green spaces in Moose Jaw,” she stated.
Golfers played 25,000 rounds last year at Lynbrook, while Hillcrest is hosting mixed provincials this August, which will generate plenty of economic activity, Higgins added. Both courses already operate on “pretty slim” annual margins, so post-pandemic, they are forced to plan while dealing with fewer members.
Council discussion
The current pump is decades old, so these devices have a long lifespan if they are maintained well, said Darrin Stephanson, director of public works. Other system components are in similar condition and will need to be replaced, but this pump could last for many more years.
The clubs’ green spaces were important to Coun. Heather Eby, who pointed out that both courses are in visible, high-traffic areas.
“If the golf courses were not watering and irrigating, it would look terrible. If the City of Moose Jaw had to look after them on our own, it would be expensive,” she added.
Mayor Clive Tolley urged city administration to give the clubs as much future warning as possible about potential infrastructure costs. He thought that would eliminate any 11th-hour requests for help.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, April 24.
