The logical step for a failing golf course on agricultural reserve land is not to convert it into rows of condominiums.

The words of Frank Leonard rang out strong as spoke out on protecting ALR land now that his three-year term as the appointed chair of the Agricultural Land Commission has ended.

As the chair, Leonard exercised his right to flag any applications to remove failed golf courses from the ALR, and refer them directly to the ALC executive panel for review.

In other words, Leonard didnB次元官网网址檛 care if a golf course came and went, if the land was ALR, itB次元官网网址檚 going to stay that way.

B次元官网网址淚n that three years as chair, golf courses were something I was very concerned with,B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址淸Many of them] were granted the recreational use permit way back in the B次元官网网址�80s with the thought being they could always go back to being agriculture land.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 want to see [ALR] golf courses become development.B次元官网网址�

Here in Saanich, most speculate site reached that level for its real estate development potential. As it stands, most of the 27-acre Royal Oak property is in the ALR.

As the sport of golf has hit a low cycle in popularity, itB次元官网网址檚 forced and threatened the closure of a number of courses around the Peninsula. Among them is the Ardmore golf course in North Saanich, , and is on a 47-acre site zoned ALR. It will be interesting to see who pays $3.45 million when North Saanich itself turned down the 2015 proposal for another golf course, Glen Meadow, to rezone and gift 100 acres to the municipality while the owners developed housing and additional agricultural land on the remaining 30 acres.

B次元官网网址淚f golfing is not working it goes back to ALR, it does not become a condo,B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址淭he same should apply to Royal Oak, Ardmore, Glen Meadow and Cedar Hill.B次元官网网址�

In an interesting case of familiarity, Leonard presided over SaanichB次元官网网址檚 recent application when it permission from the ALR, , to add health facilities and accessory retail sales to the Cedar Hill Golf Course clubhouse, which falls under ALR guidelines.

Cedar Hill is the regionB次元官网网址檚 only publicly run course and is also designated ALR. It continues to run that .

See: North Saanich says no to growing drugs on ALR

Leonard said Saanich failed to get the commercial permission for Cedar Hill Golf Course because it lacked vision in its application.

B次元官网网址淚 thought the application was a bit weak on that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he panel felt it was adding another use to ALR land and the golf course is the only thing that was permitted.B次元官网网址�

Saanich needs to take a step back and look at the golf courseB次元官网网址檚 future on ALR land, Leonard said.

Cedar Hill Golf Course manager Carole Ireland said Saanich Parks hasnB次元官网网址檛 ruled out an appeal as of yet.

Leonard said if Saanich does appeal, one example that could sway the ALR panelB次元官网网址檚 decision is to at least reference a potential future plan to return the course grounds into a farm or park, and in the immediate, to include plans for an allotment garden, which was

B次元官网网址淭he slope would be a wonderful place for allotment gardens and I think thereB次元官网网址檚 a way to have small-scale agriculture there,B次元官网网址� Leonard said.

Like us on and follow us on

reporter@saanichnews.com