Somebody may have noted this early on in the discussion and I missed it,
but I'm pretty sure the city golf courses produce a profit for the park
board, underwriting other amenities instead of requiring a subsidy. I
have to admit that I view the debate about the courses and potential
sale thereof through the lens of a frequent user of the courses. Like
Catherine Shreeves, I consider the Mpls public courses a unique treasure
and would not be able to play very much were it not for their affordable
rates (I and other mpls residents can get a discount card). Recent
improvements to Wirth, Hiawatha, Columbia and Meadowbrook have really
made them extra nice.
Also, the courses mentioned above were built (purposely, I assume) in
flood plains. This produces another benefit to the community at large --
the courses hold water during big storms. In the mid-80s, the park board
granted an easement to the Bassett Creek Water Management Commission
(for $1) to store an enormous amount of water on Wirth in the event of a
100-year flood. Construction of the associated flood-control devices was
completed in June 1987, just weeks before the most tremendous rain I've
ever seen in my life. I don't have exact figures handy, but I know the
storage of water on Wirth saved more than $1M in damage to homes and
businesses downstream.
---Michael Welch
Bryn Mawr
VV
