If you take one 30-year-old hidden community gem and revitalize it with the hard work and dedication of volunteers, then what you get is a polished community gem that is ready to keep serving its citizens for generations to come.
On April 22, the Ladysmith Golf Club on Davis Road will celebrate the transformation of its clubhouse over the past year with a day of celebration and free golf.
“It’s to introduce people to the golf course, but mostly, in my mind, it’s to show off what we did with this place,” said Sylvia Smith, president of the Ladysmith Golf Club.
Work began on the aging structure in April 2011, when it was determined that renovation was the most cost-effective option.
“The place was falling apart ... you could punch holes in the walls,” said Bob Heyes, a member of the LGC board of directors. “The building was in the process of collapsing.”
A new roof was installed on the exterior of the building, and it was given a fresh new coat of paint.
The work was completed in May 2011, and work on the clubhouse interior took place in September of the same year.
Funds for the approximately $19,000 in materials came from the golf club’s coffers, but the bulk of the labour was almost entirely volunteered. According to Smith, the club has recorded more than 626 hours of manpower that went into renovating the Ladysmith Golf Club clubhouse.
“The sense of pride I see come out of this is phenomenal,” Smith said.
The momentous task would not have been completed were it not for the dedication of those volunteers, said director Rob Johnson.
“Members believe in the golf course and were willing to put in the hundreds of hours that were required,” he said.
The Ladysmith Golf Club opened its doors in 1980 and has provided a low-cost, fun way for local residents to get their tee times in ever since.
“The Ladysmith Golf Course is an ideal situation for people who find 18 holes too tiring and they don’t want to give up golfing,” Johnson said. “The main goal is to give everyone from youth to seniors a safe environment to exercise.”
In addition to that, the Par 3, nine-hole course has been an ideal environment for youth to develop love for the game and skills.
“Parents are spending more time with their kids, and what better way to spend time with your kids than teach them how to golf because it teaches them etiquette and responsibility,” Johnson said.
The club has lowered its junior rates this year to $100 per year in the hopes of attracting new, young members.
The Ladysmith Golf Club open house takes place Sun., April 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a putting contest, and an official cake cutting at 1 p.m. Hot dogs and refreshments will be served at no cost to the public. Families are encouraged to attend.
“We’d like to see parents bring their kids out because that’s our future, those kids,” Smith said.
For more information or to find out more about course fees and times at the Ladysmith Golf Club, call 250-245-7313.