Building recreational facilities in any community is an expensive task.
When any level of government chips in financially, it makes life a lot easier for those who put in the blood, sweat and tears on the ground.
Such was the case this past weekend, when Little Bow MLA Barry McFarland awarded $90,000 to the board that is putting the finishing touches on a chip and putt, par-three golf course in Hays.
Dianne Wickenheiser, a volunteer whose husband is on the board, put together the grant application and said the board is pleased to see the Community Facility Enhancement Grant came through.
“We’re quite pleased with it,” she said, and added the nine-hole course is already in use, though an official grand opening has yet to take place, and the official set of rules to govern the facility have not been drawn up.
What has also yet to be determined is whether or not a fee will be charged to use the course. If that does come to be, Wickenheiser added it would be a nominal charge, to keep the course true to its intended purpose.
“It was so people could have another outdoor activity to take the family too, so they don’t have to drive mega miles.”
The location of the facility, right across from Hays school and next to the campground, makes it ideal, according to Wickenheiser, who added the M.D. of Taber is also in the process of adding power to some of the sites.
With the grant money in place, work will now continue researching potential rules for the course and coming up with a time for the grand opening. Also on the books, according to Wickenheiser, is the possibility of having a golf pro come out every so often, to teach locals the finer points of the game.
Once those details are ironed out, it will put the cap on a process which started years ago for the board.
“We started on this last fall in October,” said Wickenheiser. We were doing the groundwork for a number of years previously. It was just getting the money together.”
That money has been spent on a course with artificial tee boxes and greens, which Wickenheiser said were constructed by a company out of Calgary, that are supposed to last for a number of years.
In the end, she added it is all about adding another recreational facility to a small community, which can be enjoyed by its residents.
“If you don’t work for your community, you don’t have anything.”