During an emergency meeting inside the clubhouse, approximately 100 members and Redcliff residents learned about the current state of finances at the golf course, and the plan the club has to ensure it remains viable.
The club has amassed a short-term debt of $405,000 to vendors, which they’ve been struggling to pay.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Richard Lant, a club member that spoke at the meeting. “It’s not something that happened last year or the year before, this has been going on for a number of years. It’s caught up, and that’s what we have to deal with right now. We’re paying yesterday’s and the year before and the year before and the year before debt, and we can’t keep doing it.”
Lant says the club has worked to cut costs and find savings in other areas, such as groundskeeping.
He adds losing the golf course would be devastating to the town.
“It’s irreversible,” he said. “If the town loses its golf course, the chances of it ever happening again are slim to none. We couldn’t afford to do that today, which is why we need to protect the asset that we have. It brings people to this community, it brings homeowners to this community, as it does any community.”
On Tuesday, Lant and other representatives from the club spoke with Redcliff town council during an in-camera session about their concerns and asking for assistance. A motion brought forward following the meeting was defeated by town council.
Mayor Dwight Kilpatrick, who attended the meeting, says the club needs to show it’s viable before the town can assist it.
“For us to buy in, and try to help them out, we need to see that they have a plan that’s going to work,” he said. “Otherwise, it’s not a good investment.”
During the meeting, Lant outlined the proposal. They would be doing a cash drive, asking for $500 from members and taxpayers. Lant added the club could also set yearly membership fees at $1,500, but adds it could change depending on the number of members they club gets (five years ago, Riverview had approximately 400 paying members. This year, they had 237).
“The $1,500 membership fee is a worst-case scenario,” he said. “We have ways that we’re working on to lower that, but that’s the worst-case scenario, $1,500. The $500 were asking members and homeowners, residents of Redcliff to come up with is to keep what we have. It’s to help us pay the debt, get rid of it, and be financially responsible going forward.”
Immediately following the meeting, those in attendance could be seen signing a sheet, indicating their support for the plan. Some could even be seen writing cheques.
Kelly Booker, who was a member of the club for 39 years, also spoke at the meeting, and said he would put up $5,000 to help people cover the $500 fee.
“Right now, we need some help,” he said. “With the possible look at a cash donation from people, there are some people who cannot afford to. I just think it’s my duty to help some of the people who can’t afford it, allow them to golf next year by helping them out with the extra money.”
Lant says they plan to speak with town council again in the coming weeks to discuss the plans for the club going forward, and see if there is more opportunity for assistance. He adds the club will also work to try and attract new members.
Seeing people signing up and making a commitment at the end of the meeting gave Lant a feeling of optimism that the course would become financially successful.
“The people love this course, they love the community, they love the people here,” he said. “They’re going to do what they can.”
