Neighbors turn out for the Glendoveer open house. More than 250 community members attended an open house Aug. 1 at Metro's Glendoveer Golf Course and Fitness Trail to express their concerns about proposed changes to the property. Councilors Barbara Roberts and Shirley Craddick were on hand to discuss the facility assessment and business plan project and hear public feedback.
A chief concern among nearby residents was a rumor that housing would be developed on the property, an option that is not being considered for Glendoveer. It was clear from the tone and comments at the meeting that most in attendance like the facility as it is, and any changes should be focused on maintenance and upgrades to existing amenities. Members of the tennis community also attended the open house to show support for continued use of the tennis courts and oppose turning the facility into an event space.
Metro initiated the Glendoveer facility assessment and business plan project to evaluate the site's conditions and identify opportunities for improvement. Glendoveer is overdue for maintenance and upgrades. Metro's contract with the facility's operator, Glisan Street Recreation, nets the agency about $800,000 a year, an amount that has been declining as golf revenue drops. Additionally, Metro is concerned that the rounds of golf played at Glendoveer has dropped every year since 1997 and is on track this year to be just 50 percent of earlier years. The contract expires at the end of 2012.
Whatever decisions are made about the property, the golf course and fitness trail will continue to be the focus at Glendoveer. The desired outcome for the project is a fair and competitive process to develop and award a new contract to operate the facility starting in 2013.
Feedback from the open house will be compiled for review by the Metro Council. Staff will provide a brief update on the project and share what they learned from the community during a Metro Council work session at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16. Because it is a work session and no decisions will be made, the council will not be taking public comments at the meeting.