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Published 2/13/2012 in Commentary : Editorial
City has cause to keep attractions in top shape.
Golf courses are among crown jewels of the Garden City community.
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course — the city-operated facility — and The Golf Club at Southwind draw visitors from the region and beyond. The award-winning courses also boost local quality of life, giving people more cause to move here and stay.
On Tuesday, the Garden City Commission heard details on an issue at Buffalo Dunes in a 35-year-old irrigation system stretched beyond the usual life span of 20 to 25 years.
The irrigation system's piping and fittings in particular are a problem, with piping failures leading to leaks and reduced water pressure that results in inadequate water coverage,
Grounds workers end up watering the course with hoses to keep it in good shape — hardly an efficient approach.
Upgrading the system would require an investment of nearly $1.7 million if the city were to follow the course outlined by an irrigation consulting company brought in to study possible improvements.
While it would be easy to cringe at such a price tag, it's necessary to balance the cost with potential savings. More specifics on financial savings would help the public better understand the need for such an investment.
A representative of the firm that conducted the study did predict a "very, very high level of savings" with a system upgrade, to include 30 to 40 percent reduction in water use.
Improvements tied to water consumption also were a topic of debate years ago when it came time to add artificial turf at Memorial Stadium in Garden City — a move that brought significant water savings.
An 18-hole golf course cannot be covered in artificial turf, obviously. Golf courses consume a lot of water, especially in an arid region — and it's needed to keep an outstanding venue in top shape.
This community has something special in a public golf course that has received national recognition for its quality and affordability.
When deciding whether to pursue significant improvements, it's necessary to consider not only the cost, but also the potential savings and return in a community interested in maintaining great attractions and events that help lure people to town.
Found 1 comment(s)!
Priorities mixed up?
Strange that Garden City can come up with money for improvements on a golf course that probably less than 5% of the community uses, but does not have money to clear the streets of snow which over 95% of the people use in one way or another. Are their priorities distorted?
Posted by: Joe on 2/13/2012