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Women's Society says goodbye to mini golf Miranda Scotland Northern News Services Published Wednesday, July 4, 2012
"I think it's just an excellent resource for low-income families that are looking to have just a fun recreational activity for their kids so I'm really disappointed that we couldn't make it work," said Arlene Hache, executive director for the Centre for Northern Families, which is run by the society. The group started leasing the property in 2006 and since then the operation has been troubled by financial losses, vandalism and most recently a fire in the mini-golf pro shop. So when the society's lease with the city ended on May 30, the group opted not renew it. Mayor Gord Van Tighem said he is unsure of what will happen to the Wade Hamer Mini Golf. "If somebody can come forward with a good plan as to how they're going to operate it then that would be considered. If not it would become a hazard and would probably be removed," Van Tighem said. The mini-golf, Hache added, would need a major makeover if anyone were to make a profitable business out of it. "It was pretty run down," she said, "We managed to kind of keep it limping along but ... without a major renovation it wasn't attracting a lot of business and it was operating at a loss." The society paid $5,261.84 a year in commercial property taxes and $5,000 to staff the facility, according to a memorandum submitted to council two years ago. Revenue from the 3,700 square-metre mini-golf course only totaled $5,731 in 2008. The next owner, if there is one, will have an advantage the society didn't have however, said Van Tighem. "The person that operated it under the Wade Hammer Foundation a couple of months ago sent me a recipe about how to run it," he said. "It would become available to anyone that would want to run it." The Yellowknife True North Rotary Club is also offering to lend a hand to the future owner. Jeromy Ball, group secretary, said he isn't sure if the club would be in the position to make a financial contribution but it would be willing to provide hands-on assistance. "(The mini-golf) is something that the community needs," Ball said. "I don't know how we would help but we definitely want to. We have lots of architects, we have lawyers, we have people who own building supply shops. So through our members who are active business partners in the community, I'm sure a lot of the things we can help them with."
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