Renovations are underway!
- Details
- Published on Friday, December 15, 2017
Sheila Runions
Rivers Banner
According to Rivers’ history book, the golf course due west of Wheatland was started in 1949 and was made possible through the military people at Canadian Joint Air Training Centre. When the base closed in 1971, New Sarum Golf Course was renamed Yellow Quill Golf Course and was property of Oo-Za-We-Kwun Centre, a native training centre which was operating out of the old airbase. It remained as such until 1982 when it was renamed Riverdale Golf and Country Club.
Two years later the course “was leased through RM of Daly from the new owner, Ray Friesen, who had purchased the property after the phase-out of Oo-Za-We-Kwun.” Another two years later (June 1986) Riverdale Golf and Country Club bought the quarter-section nine-hole course which included a clubhouse, benches at tee-offs and a rain shelter at hole No. 7.
The clubhouse was set ablaze (arson) on Nov. 14, 1987; construction of a new clubhouse began on April 28, 1988. The work was swift, for one month later (May 28, 1988) an official opening was held for the new canteen/registration desk/supply shop. That clubhouse is now 30 years old and very few renovations have been completed during that time. Because of government regulations regarding public places, the club was forced to upgrade.
Secretary Maxine Veitch says the membership is “redoing their kitchen because of health and safety reasons. Stainless steel sinks are a must! We’ve taken everything out, even the bar. We’re doing all new bottom cupboards — 26 feet of cupboards— and we’ve taken down the top cupboards, hoping to not put them back up. We’re making a bigger counter at the front, hoping Gayle [Bullee, clubhouse manager] can serve her meals off that, instead of taking up space with a table for the smorg. We have straightened the bar to give her more room in the till/paperwork area.”
Part of the reason renovations have been delayed for so long is because of funding issues. The original clubhouse was built by volunteers and donations; history is repeating itself with this upgrade.
“We’re really short of funds so it’s going to be mostly done by volunteer work. We’re buying our supplies through North American Lumber so we’re keeping it local, but the work is being done by members. We received a $2,500 grant from Rivers & Area Community Foundation but the quote for the work is much more than that. The sink alone is over $2,000; the tap for it is $590; the cupboards are approximately $3,000, without the countertop, which would be close to another $2,000. Part of the reason why we’re not replacing the upper cupboards is because we cannot afford to. Kitchens are the most expensive renovation you can do.”
To help offset the cost, a quilt raffle was held earlier this year and another is planned for 2018.
“We have no plans for meeting in the winter to co-ordinate fundraising. We’re opening the first of May, when renovations have to be completed, so we will most definitely brainstorm then for more fundraising ideas. Because after those renovations, the clubhouse is going to need new flooring; there’s no linoleum under where the sinks were, or the cupboards.”
The club has booked its annual ad for next week’s edition, in which they promote the purchase of membership as excellent Christmas gifts. This reporter questioned if a portion of the fees are used for renovations or strictly for salaries, course maintenance, taxes, etc.
“Membership fees barely keep us afloat,” answers Maxine. “We operate very close to the red every year and quite often operate in the red. If we could get 20 or 30 new members, that would be awesome! The more it can be spoken, the more we’ll maybe come up with more funding. We currently have a membership of 14 families, 63 singles and 13 juniors, a total of 104 golfers. So yes, if we had more people step up and purchase memberships, it would certainly help us with these necessary renovations. The generous grant from Rivers & Area Community Foundation, as well as donations from members and friends, is helpful, but donations would still be greatly appreciated. Feel free to mail a cheque to Box 117, Rivers!”
