Golfers won't be teeing it up at two of eastern P.E.I.'s nine-hole golf courses this year.
VistaBay in Alexandra and Eagles View in Murray River will not operate in 2016.
Carla Jamieson, food and beverage manager at Eagles View, says she was shocked when she received a call recently informing her that the course wasn't opening this year.
"They just said it won't be opening this year. Not one reason (was given),'' Jamieson said. "He put a lot of money into (the course) last year to get the greens fixed. I don't know why he would have done that if he wasn't planning on opening.''
Jamieson is referring to Kevin Surette, president of Moncton-based IAM Building Systems, which owns Eagles View.
The Guardian left a message for Surette at IAM but the call was not returned.
Jamieson said the course employed about nine people.
She has no immediate prospects for employment.
"I'm surprised and on the hunt for a job.''
As for VistaBay, it appears that course is closed for good.
Owner Glen Beaton said the greens needed repairs that were going to cost him thousands of dollars per green.
"We're not going to open this year. We had to make a decision relative to our greens,'' Beaton said. "We started growing hops for beer in 2013 and we have about seven acres now. We decided to put the money there instead of $7,000 to $8,000 a green to bring the greens up to snuff. It's expensive. Hard to justify that.''
It's a change Beaton says he and his wife, Mary, have been debating for some time.
"We're not getting any younger, and the business has been a little difficult to justify putting any money into it.''
Beaton says the greens needed work and if he was going to commence repairs he would have had to shut the course down for the year anyway.
"We thought, maybe, when we built it this close to Charlottetown, it would be a popular thing for a long, long time. It's been good for 15-16 years, so we can't complain too much.''
Keir White, general manager of nine-hole Belfast Highland Greens, also in southeastern P.E.I., said it's never good to see two courses shut down.
"It's a shame,'' White said. "We need to be working together, trying to do things that entice people to play golf. If you don't have the business the doors are going to close and unfortunately that's what happened.''
Golfers won't be teeing it up at two of eastern P.E.I.'s nine-hole golf courses this year.
VistaBay in Alexandra and Eagles View in Murray River will not operate in 2016.
Carla Jamieson, food and beverage manager at Eagles View, says she was shocked when she received a call recently informing her that the course wasn't opening this year.
"They just said it won't be opening this year. Not one reason (was given),'' Jamieson said. "He put a lot of money into (the course) last year to get the greens fixed. I don't know why he would have done that if he wasn't planning on opening.''
Jamieson is referring to Kevin Surette, president of Moncton-based IAM Building Systems, which owns Eagles View.
The Guardian left a message for Surette at IAM but the call was not returned.
Jamieson said the course employed about nine people.
She has no immediate prospects for employment.
"I'm surprised and on the hunt for a job.''
As for VistaBay, it appears that course is closed for good.
Owner Glen Beaton said the greens needed repairs that were going to cost him thousands of dollars per green.
"We're not going to open this year. We had to make a decision relative to our greens,'' Beaton said. "We started growing hops for beer in 2013 and we have about seven acres now. We decided to put the money there instead of $7,000 to $8,000 a green to bring the greens up to snuff. It's expensive. Hard to justify that.''
It's a change Beaton says he and his wife, Mary, have been debating for some time.
"We're not getting any younger, and the business has been a little difficult to justify putting any money into it.''
Beaton says the greens needed work and if he was going to commence repairs he would have had to shut the course down for the year anyway.
"We thought, maybe, when we built it this close to Charlottetown, it would be a popular thing for a long, long time. It's been good for 15-16 years, so we can't complain too much.''
Keir White, general manager of nine-hole Belfast Highland Greens, also in southeastern P.E.I., said it's never good to see two courses shut down.
"It's a shame,'' White said. "We need to be working together, trying to do things that entice people to play golf. If you don't have the business the doors are going to close and unfortunately that's what happened.''
