Article content

Some of Winnipeg’s golf courses could have other recreation opportunities such as bike trails, dog parks or disc golf, a city report shows.

Article content

A report in front of the property and development committee suggests that city-owned golf courses could be better utilized. The report comes three years after a council asked to explore alternative uses for city-owned golf courses.

Article content

The options produced for 11 city-owned golf courses are not binding for council and the report is recommended to be received as information.

The report produced by consulting firm HTFC Inc., reports that some golf courses be entirely repurposed. The report suggests that Canoe Golf Club be repurposed to include other recreation such as disc golf, soccer or tennis and include a dog park.

Harbourview Golf Course is suggested to repurpose the golf course area with disc golf, or mountain bike trails as well as an opportunity to introduce canoe or kayak infrastructure.

Article content

For Windsor Park, the report says there is room to integrate holes 13 and 14 into the St. Boniface layout and reconfigure the course into a nine-hole course and a six-hole short loop course. There is also an opportunity to create outdoor patio space behind the current green on hole nine. This would make the St. Boniface course a practice range.

The report suggests that the city sells or leases the John Blumberg course to the rural municipality of Headingley or naturalize the entire area. The city dropped the sale of the course last year.

Some general recommendations include allowing dogs on the golf course on certain days and hours and expanding the operating season by integrating skating, skiing, snowshoeing and tobogganing during the off-season.

Article content

One recommendation suggests that golf courses can be used as winter homeless shelters.

“Allowing a program to take place at Winnipeg’s municipal courses would help to address key factors highlighted by End Homelessness Winnipeg,” the report reads. “Implementing this programming at any municipal course would need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure it is offering community benefit.”

The report produced by consulting firm HTFC Inc. shows that some golf courses could be expanded to include more greenery, include bike trails and dog parks. Many of the recommendations put forth include adding land acknowledgment pieces to the courses as well as expanding greenery and active…