Is Glen Abbey About To Join The List Of Lost Links?
/The Globe and Mail's Brian Milner reports the stunning news that Glen Abbey, home to 27 Canadian Opens, including arguably Tiger's most incredible shot, may be replaced by homes and retail. (Thanks reader J for this.)
Of modern designs that have been bulldozed, Glen Abbey would easily be the most famous, significant and beautiful. But first, permits must be secured and we'll see at least one more Canadian Open there.
Glen Abbey’s parent, ClubLink Corp., filed a request on Friday to turn the famed 230-acre golf course into a residential community of about 3,000 homes, as well as offices and retail stores. There is no provision for a golf course in the plan. A valley protected by law will remain undeveloped.
The filing, known as a preconsultation, is the first step in a process that could take several years.
“I would imagine the Canadian Open would still be there next year,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, who revealed the filing at a council meeting Monday evening.
The course ownership is trying to spin this, but with one other course already undergoing a similar rezoning with an eye on cashing in, they are not to be believed.
“What we are doing is … protecting the future zoning. When that might get developed is some time in the future. It could be five years, 10 years. This is just a very preliminary thing.”
Glen Abbey, Mr. Sahi said, remains one of the top courses in his company’s chain of more than 40 properties in Ontario, Quebec and Florida.
But Glen Abbey sits on prime land in the heart of one of Canada’s most densely populated regions. Another ClubLink course, Highland Gate in Aurora, Ont., is going through a similar rezoning bid to build high-end houses after permanently closing a year ago. And other public and private courses have succumbed to the lure of big dollars proffered by property developers at a time when golf revenues are essentially flat or declining.
That's a first. A golf course ownership company devoted to...redevelopment.
