INDIANOLA — After the announcement the White Horse Golf Course would open sometime this month, tentatively April 12, the date has been pushed back again. Developer Bob Screen continues to work with Kitsap County, trotting through paperwork toward a tee time, but nothing official has been decided yet.

The much desired trail many North End residents are hoping for is also on hold, with no decisions made as to whether it will be bonded or constructed before the course opens.

“The trail is all permitted,” Screen said. “We would like to build a portion of it this summer, but we’re waiting for some related permitting to work through the county.”

That section of the trail is in the northern part of the development and will eventually connect to Heritage Park. Screen said he is awaiting permits for a roadway that will also be constructed in the same area so both will be built concurrently. He did not provide any details about how soon work would begin on the trailhead near Indianola.

“In a nutshell, he either needs to build or bond the trail, and he doesn’t have approval to open the course yet,” said Kitsap County Department of Community Development assistant director of permitting Jeff Rowe-Hornbaker. The bond will obligate Screen to build the trail in a specified time frame. “The grass is green and playable, but that doesn’t mean it’s ready to go. He’s electing to put a temporary clubhouse in.”

One of the county requirements for Screen before he can open the course is having a clubhouse and golf cart storage area, and Screen said he will be moving the existing office down to the course to serve as the clubhouse for a short time.

“We’re going to miss our opening date by a few weeks, mostly we’re getting ready to make a good first impression,” Screen said. “We’ll be opening the golf course with a temporary clubhouse. It will be just next to the site of the permanent clubhouse.”

“They need to get a temporary clubhouse installed before they can open it,” said DCD engineering department manager Merita Trohimovich. “They need to either construct or bond the trail. The (Site Development Area Permit) requirement includes having to get the resubmittal approved for the clubhouse… This is partially up to us, but it’s partially up to him how soon he opens.”

Screen said he should know about two weeks before the golf course is ready to open, and in the interim is working on Phase II of the housing development and constructing the trail.