Construction crews have brought in the heavy equipment and are working to rebuild one of Canada’s premier golf facilities nearly three years after it was destroyed by flood waters.
The Kananaskis Country Golf Course is located in the Kananaskis Valley and was heavily impacted when the Evan Thomas and Kananaskis Rivers breached their banks in June 2013.
The region received over half the normal annual amount of rainfall in just two days and the season was brought to a sudden halt as the Mt. Kidd and Mt. Lorette golf courses took on water.
The floods forced the closure of the courses and 140 people at the facility were put out of work.
Calvin McNeely is the course Superintendent and he says only a couple of holes were still intact when the waters receded.
“Three holes had no damage, one hole had actually damage from the amount of rain and water coming off the hillside,” he said.
Since then, a lot of prepping and planning has been done and in April, crews started the long process of restoring the course under the guidance of Kan-Alta Golf Management and Architect Gary Browning.
“This year and last year were probably the two mildest springs with the least amount of snowpack that we’ve had down at this elevation, as I’ve ever seen, and this year even more so than last so, you know, even in the areas where the courses that typically hold snow late into May, June, It’s all gone,” said Darren Robinson, General Manager.
“There’s a new irrigation system going in out here, which is going to be new piping which is better than the old stuff. We’re doing slight modifications to some of the course layout,” said McNeely. “We’re changing some of the greens and bunkers to bring it up to today’s golfing standards.”
McNeely says things have progressed quite quickly and that they hope to start sodding by the end of June.
“I’m happy with the progress they’re making, how far ahead they are, I didn’t think we’d really be at the stage we’re at now, it’s fun to watch these guys go, because they’re good at what they do and to watch the change from what we had to what it is now, in the short period of time, it’s amazing,” he said.
“We’re on top of the world right now, it’s honestly the best feeling imaginable to be bringing these golf courses back to Albertans and the golfing world, it’s so exciting and to see and hear the activity taking place every day is beyond exciting for us,” said Robinson. “Our hope and expectation is that it’ll even be better.”
“It’s just been awesome. It’s just so thrilling to get back on track for all of us and to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that we’re good and these places are going to come back for Albertans, it’s just a thrill, literally every day is a thrill to be out here,” said Bob Paley, Head Professional.
The project will cost upwards of $18M and officials say the restoration will allow them to make a few changes to enhance the courses.
“With today’s technology and design standards is that it gives us an ability to get current really with some of that infrastructure that was wiped out during the flood and that’s only going to positively contribute to the quality of the product at the end as well as environmental factors,” said Robinson.
The course is expected to reopen in 2018, click HERE for more information.
(With files from Kevin Fleming)
