As of today (March 7), the former Arnold Golf Club is a park with paths for biking and hiking.
The property, which the city owns and includes more than 100 acres, previously was an 18-hole golf course, but the city closed it in December.
The property is at 1 Golfview Drive off Jeffco Boulevard.
Parks and Recreation supervisor Pat Aubuchon, who had been the golf course’s general manager, said the new, unnamed park is open each day from 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset.
Although today is the official opening of the property as a park, some people already had begun using it that way, Aubuchon said.
“I’ve been over there a couple of times and seen people walking the trails with their dogs,” said Aubuchon, who was hired to help run the golf course on March 11, 2019, and transitioned to a role in the Parks Department on Nov. 1, 2019. “I think it will be great for the community.”
The city decided to defund the golf course when the current budget was passed in August. After that, the city negotiated with a golf management company that showed interest in leasing the property and taking over the golf course operating costs, but a contract could not be worked out, and city officials closed it.
Aubuchon said the course’s hole markers have been removed, all 18 holes have been plugged and 150 bags of mulch were used to prepare the grounds for use as a park.
He also said trash cans, benches and pet waste-bag dispensers were installed at the park.
The clubhouse is now closed, and the city has installed portable restrooms, Aubuchon added.
He said the property is now considered a passive park, meaning no amenities will be constructed at this time, although a committee will study other possible uses for the park.
In 2007, the city bought the golf course, which before that had operated since 1992 as the privately-owned Pomme Creek Golf Course. The city paid $3.15 million for the property, buying it from Arnold accountant and developer Dan Jones. The city spent nearly $900,000 to improve the clubhouse at that time, City Administrator Bryan Richison said.
Along with that initial nearly $4 million investment, the city paid $3,013,598 to operate the golf course over the past 12 years, Richison said.
Arnold was projected to spend $450,000 to operate the course this year, and since it appeared the golf course would continue to cost the city a significant amount of money to operate each year, the council decided to begin defunding the course before passing this year’s city budget.