Glen Abbey’s Heritage Status may Stop ClubLink’s Redevelopment Plans

3 October 2017
Darin Brassington

The famous Glen Abbey golf course has got the heritage status from the town council and has gained some protection from being redeveloped into a housing complex. The property located in the town of Oakville had already hosted the Canadian Open 29 times and is the scheduled venue for next year.

How it Happened: A Look

ClubLink, owner of Glen Abbey wants to convert the golf course into a combination of 3,200 houses along with offices and retail spaces. But the plan was met with strong opposition from the residents who want it to be preserved. The town council voted strongly in favor of the proposal awarding the heritage designation following the Ontario Heritage Act.

Glen Abbey was designed by golf star Jack Nicklaus 40 years back and had been the venue for top golf championships. The property also houses the Golf Canada office, the Canadian Golf Museum, and Hall of Fame.

Mayor Rob Burton was present in the crowded council chamber where the voting was held. He said that he was aware of the concerns of the residents regarding Glen Abbey who is looking forward to keeping it untouched. Canadian authorities are trying to protect not only national heritage places, but they also want to improve gambling activities and make them more credible, among which we can mark out ValleyGames web advisor. Here you can choose a suitable online casino according to your taste. People always related Glen Abbey with Oakville and vice versa and he sees the importance in what the residents had to say. He also expressed that heritage held a strong meaning for them and his town was leading the way in conserving its heritage assets.

What Can ClubLink Do?

ClubLink has got 30 days to launch an appeal against the heritage status to the Conservation Review Board. Their appeal will be heard on 26 September by the Oakville town council and there can be several outcomes.

Depending on the regulations set by the town council, the development plan can still go forward even if ClubLink’s appeal doesn’t stand out. Toronto’s heritage planning consultant Paul Dilse says that the council can be lenient towards the appeal and may allow the golf course and constructions stay side by side.

So, what are the other roadblocks?

The residents have made up the Save Glen Abbey Coalition to oppose ClubLink’s development plans. Fraser Damoff, spokesperson for the group said that commented that the golf course was a gem and an integral part of Oakville’s identity. The town had developed around Glen Abbey through the years and people associate the golf course with the town all the time. With other parts of Oakville being occupied by single homes, it was important for Damoff and others to take a step to preserve it.

Saving the Golf Course – Can it Happen?

The initiative to save the golf course got an impetus after the winner of Canadian Open, Jhonattan Vegas from Venezuela expressed that he wanted the club to stay active. He said that he will be one of the biggest voices in the movement and keep it going strong.

The golf championships are a source of earnings for the town through visitor spending and provide a good return on investment.

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Famous Golf Tournaments in Canada

15 June 2017
Darin Brassington

Golf Canada publishes the list of golfing events each year that are scheduled to take place. The official website of the association can be browsed to remain up to date. The golf courses, as well as players participating, are also mentioned. The ticketing info if required and the number of players in each tournament can also be browsed so that entertainment remains at peak. The best part of the golf in Canada is that golfers from neighboring USA also participate which shows the rich heritage of Canadian golf. Likewise in 2017, there are numerous golfing upcoming events in Canada. Some of these are mentioned and explained as under:

PGA Tour Canada

Also known as Canadian tour the event takes place in Canada each year in Ontario. It is regarded as highly prestigious tournament and people from all over North America come to see the event live. The qualifiers take place before the main event which is also witnessed by many and therefore it is the earning source for Golf Canada. It was started as Peter Jackson Tour and from the very first day, it has gathered golf enthusiast who battles to take the prestigious trophy as well as cash price associated. This year the defending champion is Dan McCarthy.

Canadian Open

It is one of the oldest professional golfing events that are held in Canada. There are other accolades which are associated with this event such as it is third most played golfing event in the world. Played each year by professional golfers from all over the world the tournament has boosted the overall golfing rate in Canada and has produced new faces and names in the sport. Played at Glen Abbey Golf course this event is witnessed by millions on TV. In 2017 the event will be played in July and the total cash prize distributed will be around $6 million.

GTA AM Tour

Though not as prestigious as PGA and Canadian Open the Greater Toronto Area Amateur Tour is still recognized by Golf Canada. It is one of the very few events which provide crowd the opportunity to participate in the game while they sit in their seats. This is done by numerous benefits which are offered by the organizational committee. GTA AM Tour has a lot to offer and therefore the friendly community of this awesome tour make this event very interesting. Big names such as Air Canada, Mazda, and Huawei sponsor the event which makes it further attractive.

Great Lakes Golf Tour

Under this banner, there are numerous golfing tours which take place in Canada and therefore it has the largest fan base in the country. There are numerous players which are groomed by this event from the year it has started. The first golfing event under the banner was organized in 2002 and since then it has no seen a downfall. The best part of this tour is that it focuses on amateur players and makes it possible for many to step into the huge world of Canadian Open and PGA tour Canada.

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