The members of the Victoria Golf Club, the second oldest golf club in North America, still in its original location, would never vote to either support or sell the golf course for any purpose other than golf, including housing. The membership does not see themselves as owners, but rather stewards, of the course, which is of heritage significance not only locally, but nationally as well. It is a jewel in the Victoria landscape.
If indeed one wishes to obtain title to the course it would require rezoning and expropriation. Assuming a cost of millions per acre, the total value would be in the range of a billion dollars. I think the municipality would find this cost a little pricey.
The letter writer, Bruce Cline, references the plans of the Musqueam Native Land Use Plan with respect to housing on the University and the Shaughnessy Golf courses. In fact, the University Golf Course, by legal binding, is restricted to being a golf course until 2083. That is 59 years from now. For the Shaughnessy Course, the Musqueam Land Use Plan shows that the course will maintain nine holes of the present course, and an exclusive resort on the current land of the other nine holes. There are no plans for housing on these lands.
James Stockdill
Oak Bay
