Port Townsend Golf Course is not a park | Letter to the editor

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It is a business. Imagine city going to the port saying Boat Haven would make a great park with beach, trails, picnic tables, play area, and public bathrooms. They would say no. 

The golf course was put into the park category to be repurposed to allow multiple recreation uses while still having golf on certain days. Unfortunately that does not work. A business has to pay rent and the course is an artillery range with golf balls going 160 mph so no golf can be played on repurposing days so no revenue is collected. Perhaps a daily fee per person. If the golf course cannot pay rent, the city can use their surplus option, meaning they don’t want it and sell it. Can you see mansions? Now you have open space. Golfers who are there every day keep the space open by keeping rent paid.

There are 27 parks, 31 miles of trails, Fort Worden and Flagler. Use Mountain View or the city’s unused “considerable amount of properties.” Please let this business continue.

I hope citizens would not destroy something the size and beauty of the golf course. When Olympic rises with an earthquake you will be camping there. Plus the course tournaments give money to the community benefitting Rhody Festival, Kiwanis, Elks Club, High School Rivals Athletic programs, Jefferson County Little League, and Sunrise Rotary Club, etc. saveptgolf.com and cityofpt.us for golf link.

Besides losing revenue when people come dogs, kids, and frisbees will land on the greens and greens will suffer. Frisbee targets need to be put up and taken down when finished because it would be hazardous when golf balls hit and ricochet. Plus people who have heard they can walk on the course may come in from side streets when golfers are playing and could get hit by a ball. That would be very sad.

Nancy Erreca
PORT TOWNSEND