Last week, a whole lot of people from Sooke took part in the chamber of commerce golf tournament.

The weather was near perfect and the greens were in great shape. By all accounts everyone enjoyed the day and the golfing.

Sooke needs to keep this golf course. The other course, which met with a lot of disagreement was sold for development. Yes, part was retained for green space, but there are limits to what can be done there. It can’t be a golf course again.

Some may say it is only for a select few, but I will disagree with that. People of all ages and skill levels can partake in a sport which is increasing in popularity.

Perhaps it is because the demographics show an older population with a little more time on their hands. As our population ages, it is evident they are not able to do as many things as they once were able to. But golfing is a relatively passive sport providing people with exercise, fresh air and a little competition.

The District of Sooke has a whole lot of small parks and a consultant is currently preparing a master plan of the parks and trails in the district. They want to know how many of these strip parks are actually being used, what needs to be done to maintain them and how useful are they to the community at large. Yes, they provide green space and a place for deer to roam, but many of them are not used by people. You can argue that the birds and bugs live and thrive there, but you can’t argue about the fact that we have beautiful, wild green spaces all around the town core and beyond.

If, by some incredible insight, the district was to make the decision to buy the golf course, this would provide a massive green space in the heart of the district saving the property from the developer’s bulldozer. We all know if it is sold it will be slated for townhouses or single family homes and we will lose a recreational resource which cannot be replaced. There are no other places I can think of that would be suitable for a golf course, but there are other places suitable for further development.

With two schools in close proximity, students would be able to perhaps take up the sport providing them with another recreational opportunity. Once some of the developments in Sooke are built out, you can bet there will be people who love golf.

We are trying to attract people to Sooke and this would go a long way in helping them make the decision of whether to move and live here rather than in another community, which may have recreational opportunities they are looking for. We don’t have to build to have them come, it is already here.

It is time the district gave the community an amenity to complement SEAPARC and our sports fields.

With all the talk of tourism and the need to bring people out this way, a golf course could be just the ticket. Build a club house, maybe a restaurant and you have something with value, both for the body and the spirit.

This would be a good thing. It is something to think seriously about as time is ticking and a wonderful opportunity could be lost – forever.