
Three weeks have passed since the devastating announcement that the Eaglecrest Golf Course is to close on December 31, 2006. Since then, many people have been working hard in order to keep Eaglecrest open as an 18-hole golf course. This special edition is intended to bring you, the “Save Eaglecrest Fund” friends, donors, and residents, up-to-date on events and activities that have occurred so far. The information has been provided by the “Save Eaglecrest Task Force” as indicated below.
Immediately following the Eaglecrest Residents’ Association meeting at the Civic Centre, the “Save Eaglecrest Task Force” was formed with Marlys Diamond and Jim Collie acting as co-chairs. Members of the Task Force include Jacque Bater, Chris Berndt, Dave Bryan, Jim Gillies, Barry Ingborg, Bruce Mantell, David Sheppard and Trevor Wood. Committees were established to work on Finance, Publicity, Legal and Course Acquisition.
The publicity committee was made aware that ATV was planning a newscast on Oct 23rd from Qualicum Beach and made contact with them in an attempt to further publicize the issue. The story became a lead item on the broadcast and served to broaden public awareness. Subsequently there has been strong coverage by local newspaper and radio, with articles even appearing in national media such as the Globe & Mail.
On October 30th, we met with Mayor Westbroek to confirm the strong support that was committed by him on behalf of the Town Council at the Civic Centre meeting. He stated unequivocally that Council would not consider any future subdivision of Eaglecrest Golf Course and further went on to say that they would provide any support they could in our efforts to acquire the course.
A sub-committee of the Task Force has been established to explore the feasibility of proceeding with an offer to purchase the course. The intent is to purchase Eaglecrest at a fair market value price that reflects valuation based on the property being used a golf course, and then operate it as an 18-hole, non-profit, member-owned course. The seller so far has rejected this approach, but discussions are ongoing and we will continue on this path.
We have had preliminary discussions with a legal firm that has expressed a view that, given there are so many legal obstacles, they are surprised that the unknown purchaser is seriously considering acquiring the property and not operating it as a golf course. We are in the process of considering our legal strategy and how we should proceed further to enforce legal documents such as the restrictive covenant and land-use contracts currently in place. We will also seek legal opinion regarding the rights of current golf members and home-owners bordering on the golf course.
We have been delighted with the community response to our fund raising efforts and have now established a sizeable amount of “seed money”. We know however that there will be many significant expenditures in the near future and we are therefore continuing our effort to maintain the financial resources necessary to follow up on all our activities. Further donations are welcome. Make your cheque payable to the “Save Eaglecrest Fund”, and send it to Mr. Jim Gillies, 1305 Leeward Way, Qualicum Beach, V9K 2M1 (‘phone: 752-1178).
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Further Development of Eaglecrest?
The east coast of Vancouver Island from Victoria to Courtenay is under increased pressure to provide new housing for people who want to move to this beautiful part of Canada. The Town of Qualicum Beach is seen by many outsiders as a “rare gem” with its sandy beaches, well planned village centre, parks, recreational facilities, open spaces, abundant wildlife and attractive residential areas. Eaglecrest, a mature, well planned residential area within Qualicum Beach, may soon become a target for a developer wanting to profit from the pressure to “grow, grow, and grow”.
Qualicum Beach residents do not want or need over-development of mature neighbourhoods such as Eaglecrest. The removal of deliberately planned open and recreational space from within the urban portion of a community simply defies logic. More than 320 residential properties directly border on the golf course. This supports the fact that the golf course is truly an integral part of the Eaglecrest community.
Removal of the golf course from Eaglecrest would cause a serious impact on the quality of life that area residents currently enjoy. Furthermore, local and migratory wildlife, already under habitat pressure would lose yet more precious open space. Local residents, many of whom are over 55, and who moved here because of the proximity of the golf course, would loose an important form of recreation and social interaction that helps to keep them active and healthy.
Any further development of Eaglecrest must ensure that the growth is fiscally, environmentally and socially responsible and recognize the connections between development and quality of life.
Chris Berndt
QualicumBeach
Visit: http://SaveEaglecrestGolf.blogspot.com for more information on how to Save The Eaglecrest Golfcourse
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