A break-even strategy will be presented this week to council’s community and protective services committee, aimed at getting the city’s public golf course revenues and expenses back to par by 2022.
The city’s administration recommends fee hikes, services being contracted out and an increased standardization of operation practices, among other plans, as means to dig municipal golf courses out of a $1-million hole.
But the biggest boon recommended in the city’s golf course operations update is the re-opening of the McCall Lake course, which is on target for May of next year after a $6.7-million capital investment. That could yield $280,000 by 2022, according to the city report.
McCall Lake was nearly shuttered in 2014, a plan that faced heated opposition. That plan was halted after research determined the land sale would not have netted the $35.4 million necessary to help fund other city-run courses and create new recreation fields for northeast Calgary.
The course lost $457,350 in 2015, $666,162 in 2016 and $589,336 in 2017.
The report highlights an anticipated $100,000 in revenue from annual fee adjustments and $185,000 from more efficient booking processes and advanced pricing strategies, which are expected to lead to higher attendance starting in 2021.
Cost savings to be realized through finalizing debt commitments would also yield an anticipated $142,000, and an increased standardization of operation practices between golf courses could bring in $273,000.
