An enormous fire ripped through a golf cart storage facility at Mount Brenton Golf Club last May 9, levelling it to the ground and leaving a barren space ever since.
One year later, it’s finally been cleared for a replacement facility to be built and construction is expected to begin within a month.
“For the past year, we’ve been working very closely with the insurance company and the adjuster and the municipal office,” said Art Kendall, president of the Mount Brenton Golf Club’s board of directors.
“It’s been quite a process to get through everything. We just received a development permit which is one step before a building permit. It looks like in the next 3-4 weeks we’ll be able to go ahead with that.”
The facility was located on a bit of a slope right below some trees, requiring a geo-technical assessment to determine the stability of the bank as well.
Some 120 carts were lost in the fire and the new building will have almost the identical specs to handle the same number, other than building code upgrades. The exact cause of the fire was never determined.
“It burnt so hot and so fast, the fire chief and the forensic crews, they could not tell anything,” said Kendall.
Club members who lost carts in the fire dealt with their own claims to have them replaced. Some have been using trailers to transport carts from their homes to the course and back while others have simply waited until the new structure is constructed before making arrangements for new carts.
“A lot of people have been waiting a long time to bring their cart and have a shed to put it back in,” conceded Kendall.
An arrangement with Monaghan Golf Group allowed members to rent carts at reasonable rates as required.
“They just balanced their fleet to the needs of the members,” said Kendall. “People were able to find packages for however often they play golf.”
Some players still able to walk the course comfortably did that instead.
But it’s now only a matter of time before things get back to normal at the club with the building of the new facility on the horizon and golf heading into the busy season.
“I would say it’s just clicking into full swing now,” noted Kendall.
The club has a new food and beverage provider and encourages all sorts of bookings for functions.
“It would be a good place for us to do a Cowichan Valley promotion - let us take care of all the arrangements and risks lie with the golf club,” offered Kendall.