Lake Forest is taking steps to improve Deerpath Golf Course, albeit in a slightly scaled back way.
On Jan. 17, the Lake Forest City Council approved the hiring of Lohmann Golf Designs to design the plans and V3 Companies for engineering plans on three major improvements to the public golf course.
The design contract came in at $54,440 and the engineering one at $29,150, according to city documents.
The improvements include a new asphalt path for golf carts, drainage improvements on the fairways and upgrades to most of the tees. According to city documents, plans are to be completed in February, bidding will take place in April and construction could start in September.
The actual construction is estimated to take ten weeks.
Currently, golf carts ride on either dirt or grass. If it rains, carts are not allowed out as they will damage the path or grass, said Chuck Myers, superintendent of parks and forestry. That means no revenue is generated from renting carts on those days and revenue is lost from golfers who don’t want to walk the course.
Soaked fairways also reduce play and potential revenue. There is a drainage system that was installed in the early years of the course, but over the decades much of it has eroded, Myers said.
The improvements come after a decrease in the number of rounds played at the course. The downturn started in 2007 or 2008, said City Manager Bob Kiely during an August 2016 public meeting.
The city formed a golf advisory committee and has been discussing improvements to Deerpath Golf Course since at least 2014, according to city documents. At a March 2016 public meeting, Lohmann Golf Designs suggested $8.3 million in improvements. Some of those proposals, like underground parking and expanding the banquet facility, were later dropped. The estimated cost decreased to $4.5 million to $6 million.
While bidding is scheduled for April, Myers estimated construction will cost somewhere in the $1.2 million range for the current slate of projects.
“We have other financial issues going on in the city,” said Ald. Tim Newman, who chairs the city’s golf advisory committee. “We have to balance what we spend on the golf course against the other financial pressures.”
More Top Picks Why Do My Eyes Hurt After A Day At The Screen
With the improvements, Newman thinks the number of rounds played could increase five to 10 percent.
Of the estimated $1.2 million, $125,000 will come from next year’s property tax levy, $600,000 from one-time revenues from fees associated with the new Lake Forest Hospital and Laurel and Western residential development, and $500,000 will come in the form of a loan from the city to the golf course, according to Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb.
Repayment will likely take place over a four-year period starting in fiscal year 2019, Holleb said, although exact terms are still being worked out.
Future improvements will likely rely on private donations, Newman said, although those improvements and a donation campaign have yet to be planned.
@reporterdude