The District of Sechelt shut the doors and changed the locks at Porpoise Bay Golf Club (formerly Sechelt Golf and Country Club) on Monday, Jan. 9 after terminating two leases with Sechelt Golf and Country Club (SGCC) Ltd.
"We have taken, as a consequence, control of the entire operation, and that's to protect the assets of the golf club," said Sechelt Mayor John Henderson during a media briefing Monday morning.
The District of Sechelt owns the land the golf course sits on and they had a lease agreement with SGCC Ltd. to use it, but Henderson said lease payments were in serious arrears.
"What's owed to the District of Sechelt is $191,332 plus legal costs and so on associated with our efforts to collect," Henderson said, noting the District has also been advised other creditors are starting to take action against the company. "It's clear that the golf course was not going to survive in its present form. So really the action is being taken partly because we're owed money, but mostly to protect the asset that we have."
Henderson said the District is aware of disputes between two different parties that have both allegedly owned SGCC Ltd. in the past year, leaving its future in jeopardy.
"Those disputes are nothing to do with us, but they do impact on the ability of the golf course to operate. Further we've been advised by one of the parties that SGCC Ltd. is insolvent, and if that is true, it means it's unable to meet its obligations and therefore can't continue to operate," Henderson said.
The lands and assets of the golf course are now under the direct control of the District of Sechelt. They plan to retain key personnel and reopen the golf course after a complete inventory is undertaken.
"The plan is we'll be meeting with the current staff, those who wish to meet with us, tomorrow (Jan. 10) and seeing what we can work out with them in terms of whether they want to continue working up there, and if so how do we reach an accommodation with them," Henderson said. "We'll also be meeting with other members of the community who have a particular interest - they may have been former members, they may be people who know the golfing industry - and we'll meet with them as part of identifying what are the best options for us. But in the short term we will be operating it."
The District also plans to talk with the general public about future options for the golf course at an informal meeting in the District of Sechelt council chambers this Saturday, Jan. 14, at 3 p.m.
Henderson said the meeting will be more of a discussion about possibilities for the golf course and a chance for the public to ask any questions they might have.
"Everything is on the table to be discussed at this point," he noted.
Owners of SGCC Ltd. were unreachable for comment by press time.
