West End Golf Club closed permanently in 2019 and was in disrepair even before then. Therefore, its development potential was hampered.
Nevertheless, Newbury residents and golfers packed in on October 11 to try to save the Jack Durance Board Room from urban development.
Alachua County Commissioners voted 4 to 1 to reject a proposal to convert the now-defunct West End Golf Club into a residential area of up to 70 units. Only Commissioner Her Raemi Eagle-Glenn voted against it.
The Gainesville Sun reports that due to a change of ownership and rising maintenance costs, the golf course has had minimal upkeep and has closed completely.
Current county zoning has land listed for recreational use and does not allow construction of residential properties. Residents who oppose the proposal want the land to remain as it is to protect the environment.
Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler said the sentiments residents brought in in their comments revealed that residents have a strong emotional connection to the land.
“Citizens’ mental health is important and should be maintained through green spaces,” said Wheeler.
One avid resident is Paul Hornby, a 63-year-old Newbury resident who has lived near the course for over 35 years. Hornby frequented the course with his father, where he said he had memories of his family.
To protect this land, Hornby became president of the West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education (WECARE).
Through this organization, enthusiastic residents have been able to unite, raise money and even hire lawyers, Mr Hornby said. “It was really impressive.”
Environmental concerns were further promoted by psychologists and professors who attended the hearings.
Charles Guy, a former professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida, said the new research shows the need for plant life in urban areas.
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“There are therapeutic benefits to being in the presence of plants and nature,” Guy said.
A recent study sharing this idea could hold scientific significance, which Guy and other Newbury residents stressed.
A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that college students were twice as likely to feel “very happy the past week” when they were in green areas on campus. It turns out to be Another 2017 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that walking in natural landscapes may improve cognitive performance compared to walking in urban areas.
I don’t walk the course much now. One resident who attended the meeting noted exposed chemical barrels on the course, in addition to sinkholes and wildlife concerns.
The courses themselves may be dated, but WECARE spoke out against leaving parks and sports courses green to ensure future development remains recreational.
Along with public opposition, the county’s planning commission and growth management staff recommended rejecting the proposal before the commission’s hearing.
As of October 16, there are no concrete plans by WECARE or the developer to treat the land in any other way.
Wheeler’s hope is to rework the course into a park or similar project that better reflects the wishes of the community, she said.
“Perhaps someone will come along who will take it as a project and develop it the way the community wants it,” Wheeler said.
contact Aidan abush@alligator.orgFollow him on Twitter @aidandisto.
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Aidan Bush is a sophomore in journalism and a reporter for Alligator’s City and County Commissions. Previously, he worked as a reporter for the Citrus County Chronicle. When not writing, he enjoys making videos, watering his activities and spending time with friends.
