Golf Beauport, which is about to complete its 40th season, appears to be running out of time, while the city of Quebec could end its activities in a year.
Since 1983, the company has operated lands owned by the City of Quebec through a 15-year renewable lease. However, in 2019 the Labeaume administration had indicated its intention not to renew it after it expired on October 31, 2023.
Since then, despite the renewed enthusiasm for this sport during the pandemic, those in charge of the site are still sitting in the void. Nearly 700 golfers have also put themselves on a register to save the club.
“The City of Beauport always told us we could invest in the land because they would never close it to protect the river in the first place. But that mentality was lost with the mergers,” laments Jacques Bélanger Jr., the company’s general manager.
“If nothing progresses, we’ll close for good next year,” he sighs.
For a school?
However, several parties, including Bruno Marchand’s, promised to protect the company in the last local elections.
“Everyone says they’re ready to save the golf course, but nobody’s ready to sign yet,” the director of Golf Beauport plagues, emphasizing that he’s having good discussions with Mr. Marchand.
The Quebec government has requested a new secondary school in the area, and the Marchand administration has a legal obligation to clear land for construction.
According to Mr Bélanger, part of the area currently occupied by Golf Beauport would also be sold to a developer and returned to derelict land.
“But this week we were told that there is finally no more school project. So I don’t see why we shouldn’t be renewed! »
Head full of projects
Meanwhile, managers find themselves caught between tree and bark, content to maintain the site but avoiding large investments for fear of losing everything.
However, Jacques Bélanger Jr. has had a project estimated at $1.3 million on his mind for several years.
Specifically, he wants to add a miniature golf course and pickleball court, pave the parking lot, and improve the current greens by planting a hundred trees annually, draining the fairways, and installing sprinklers.
The city of Quebec could not answer our questions on Saturday.
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