Union Bay Update

[Will MacEwen]

The developers at Union Bay are having to jump through some hoops to get the final go ahead:

http://www.canada.com/Marine+hazard+concerns+over+proposed+golf+course/1335974/story.html

Marine issues can be tricky as the jurisdiction of the federal and provincial laws and authorities can be a bit murky.

The good news is the project is still proceeding in this economic climate. 

The course website:

www.unionbaygolflinks.com

[Robert Thompson]

Will: What an atrocious story. This woman -- who "suspects" or "has heard" about problems with the site, but apparently has no proof to back up her claims, gets her remarks printed as if they are truths. Linking bad oysters to the site made me laugh out loud.

Of course then there are the typical anti-golf crap, the environmental, over-watered, over-pesticide angle. Yawn.

[Jeff_Mingay]

I agree with Rob. Terribly one-sided story with no factual info. to substantiate this woman's claims. It's writing like this that can erroneously turn public perception of any proposed development negative.

Brutal.

[Ian Andrew]

There was an instance out west where a project was put on hold because there were some salmon fingerlings found in a pond on the project. The project was going to be shutdown - possibly for good - till someone noticed that they were not wild salmon but farmed salmon. This meant they were put there by someone.

[Will MacEwen]

I would suspect that the developers checked into the issues of toxins pretty carefully as the contaminated soil legislation and marine pollution liabilities are significant and onerous. 

Jeff - are you part of the plans at Raven Ridge?  Is that on hold right now?

I really caught the Canadian GCA blogger demographic with this topic.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Hi Will.

Yes, Rod Whitman and I are collaborating on the design at Raven Ridge. Preliminary routing and land plan was done a number of years ago now. Unfortunately we don't have any indication when this project may start though. As you know, it's not far from Gil's site, at Union Bay. Could be really cool (if) both courses are built.

I suspect Whitman/Mingay and Hanse/Shackelford will give golfers good reason to visit Comox.

[Mikkel Hansen]

Good evening everyone,

Just an update to Union Bay, I drove by the site yesterday and they are moving some earth around so it looks like progression is being made.

In addition, the Comox Valley Regional District has had a couple of sessions with the development group regarding the rezoning of the links land for the finishing holes and it seems to be progressing very nicely. They are conducting a town hall meeting in Union Bay next week on Wed. to hear opinions on the proposal so I will be making my way down from Courtenay to hear it.

I will keep you posted. But fingers crossed everything goes to plan and the land can be rezoned.

Mikkel

[Will MacEwen]

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/news/41181644.html

This article gives the impression that the developer has covered off many of the key issues.  There is a walking tour on Saturday, but I won't be able to make it.

[Philippe Binette]

A golf course is going to put pesticides on the ground.. so stop that project and built a parking for our new shopping mall...

That's were golf gets such a bad image. If you ask that lady how the golf course will look, she would say: It's going to be a big area of perfectly green mown grass... pretty sure that's not quite what Gil Hanse is looking for.


Message to Environmentalist: Choose your battles. How many acres of concrete or asphalt parking lots are built every year in North America...
Why shouldn't they focus on that instead trying to beat off people working hard trying to maintain and protect a environmental milieu, that is a golf course

I went to a meeting of supers in Quebec and there was a discussion table with environmentalist blaming golf practices.

One super stand up and says: well I've tried to invite member of the environment board for the last few years to show them how I work, how and when I use chemical etc... and they never return my call.

The environmentalist said: well we're really busy, we don't time for this (but they have plenty of time to write article and show up in meeting against golf courses).... If you want us to show up, you'll have to pay for somebody to show up...

What can you say to that outside of GFY

[Will MacEwen]

http://www.canada.com/Unanimous+thumbs+development/2970886/story.html

The project has now received unanimous approval, but an opposition group is again considering legal action.  Seeing as how the last approval was snuffed out by the courts, I would assume that this has been vetted throughly.