Meridian City Council recently approved a new venture for the City which will transition operations of the Lakeview Golf Club to the City. Many may not know that the land the public course sits on has been owned by the City since 1978, with buildings and equipment owned by the operator. As the current operator transitions out of the business, it makes sense to bring the assets into public ownership. To help make that happen, Western Ada Recreation District (WARD) has entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement to buy out the business and assets whereby they will then transition course management to the City.  Lakeview Golf Club is an important part of our community, and I am committed to ensuring this asset is properly maintained and operated with needed improvements made to the course.

This effort is part of an over-all larger plan to help WARD plan as it transitions in its mission and vision. When WARD was founded, it met a need providing recreational activities to the community that the City could not provide at the time. Today, the City has a robust Parks and Recreation department.  This allows WARD the chance to take a step back, and they have proposed the City also consider taking over the operations of the Meridian Community Pool, which they also own. You can watch the full presentation and conversation with WARD and the City Council at this link (at the 9th minute): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7khU54VZZU&t=1840s

We know there has been a lot of buzz, both on and off the golf course, about what this transition will look like and how it will impact customers. Our Parks and Recreation Department is taking an active role to minimize the immediate impact to existing services while planning for the future of the course.  As they look at creating a master plan for the facility, we will have ample opportunity for the public to weigh in during that process.  In the short term, Parks and Recreation recently presented their short-term management and transition plan to City Council as this master planning takes shape. You can view that discussion agenda item at this link (at the 56th minute): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi_5SW6vyM0&t=5092s

I am excited about the future of Lakeview. We have a premier Parks and Recreation Department who are up for this exciting new challenge. By adding the golf course to our list of public services and taking the opportunity to make this beloved recreational activity available to even more Meridian residents, we can continue our Parks and Recreation Departments efforts to provide Quality. Community. Fun.