Proposed John Blumberg Golf Course deal hits slice at City Hall

A developer with their eye on the John Blumberg Golf Course is having some trouble getting off the tee.

A city report has recommended the course in the RM of Headingley be sold to Schinkel Properties for just under $13.7 million.

But at Monday’s Property and Development, Heritage, and Downtown Development committee meeting, councillors voted 3-1 against the sale of the land.

The report will still go to EPC and city council and will only pass if two-thirds of council vote in favour of the deal. It will also require development and subdivision approval from the RM of Headingley.

According to the report, Schinkel is optimistic that their development plan will be approved by the RM and will include 36 acres of parkland, 29 acres of multi-family land, and the balance to be developed with 339 single family lots.

READ MORE: City of Winnipeg looking at selling John Blumberg Golf Course

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Several people spoke against the deal during Monday’s meeting and worry about the potential loss of a huge chunk of greenspace, including Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk.

“Anytime we see the possible removal of the golf course from the province, it’s just one less opportunity for our community to get access to affordable golf,” Ladobruk told 680 CJOB Monday. “Blumberg has been a fabric of the community for a long time.”

RM of Headingley Mayor John Mauseth says the city owns the land outside of Winnipeg, because of an agreement made 30 years ago when Headingley seceded from Winnipeg.

Mauseth describes the land as “almost 200 acres of prime river-front green space, with some of the finest basswood trees in Manitoba.”

He says if the RM had its way, it would be to maintain as much greenspace as possible.

“We’re in times now where we talk about regional approach and collaboration,” said Mauseth. “What better regional deal could we make here than to keep this greenspace for the {Winnipeg Metropolitan) region to enjoy?”

An RFP was issued by the city last year with a goal of finding a potential buyer. Mauseth wishes more conversations were had before that process.

“I would have liked to see a little more of a regional collaborative approach with the City and the RM to discuss the properties,” said Mauseth. “We ended up having to submit our proposal, which did not make it past the first round of cuts.”