Fore! Golf course to be torn up
Ansley wasn’t told sewage line was coming in January
Ansley Golf Club is about to get an unwanted face-lift from the city of Atlanta.
The city is planning to install a new sewage pipe under the seventh, eighth and ninth holes of the Ansley course, which Golf Digest consistently ranks as one of the best nine-hole courses nationwide, according to club President Russ Marane.
Sure, the city can upgrade its sewer system, but shouldn’t the Public Works Department tell somebody at the golf club about it before they begin construction?
Councilman Lee Morris says yes, and at a Utilities Committee meeting Nov. 14, he postponed approving the contract that would allow crews to begin work.
With the Atlanta region’s booming growth, the city is struggling to upgrade its infrastructure — especially sewage lines and treatment plants.
Marane knows it’s easier for the city and nearby homeowners if the sewage line goes through the golf course, but says he hasn’t heard a peep out of the city since July. It wasn’t until he got a call from Morris that he learned construction could begin as early as January. He also hasn’t been told how long it could take, though estimates range from nine to 18 months.
More importantly though, he hasn’t found out how much money the city will fork over to dig up the course. Seventy-five parking spaces will be ripped up, making it impossible for the club to engage in its biggest bread winner: hosting weddings and other large parties. The city will also foot the bill to re-build the golf course.
Neither Marane nor Morris would estimate the possible cost to Ansley Golf Club, and Public Works officials did not return phone calls or pages.
“We don’t object to this,” Marane says. “We’ve been working with the city for a long time. We just questioned them on how they intend to proceed when they come into our golf course. We were totally caught by surprise that they were getting ready to sign a contract, and we haven’t negotiated with them [about the cost of the construction],” Marane says.
Meanwhile, Ansley Golf Club is working out trades with other golf clubs for tee times. If possible, Marane may keep six holes open during construction.