Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 26/98) - Duffers across the city received $85,000 from city taxpayers Monday night.

Council voted to grant the Yellowknife Golf Club the money after being approached for $250,000 in aid of the expansion.

The club is planning to grow to 18 holes in an $850,000 project. News on their request for a loan of more than $600,000 from a financial institution will arrive today. RWED and club members themselves have also agreed to contribute funds.

"The Yellowknife Golf Club's nine-hole golf course has reached its capacity and needs to expand to 18 holes," the club's director of finance Carl Bird, said in a presentation.

He also told council the expansion would benefit tourism, create employment and provide unlimited access to tee-off times for local residents. While an $85,000 grant was approved by council, not all members councillors voted for it.

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly said council didn't have all the proper recreational planning information it needed in order to make such a decision.

He wanted to know what grants other recreational groups and facilities had received in the past and said he wanted to see the city's community services master plan updated before such a decision could be made.

The city did not budget for this expenditure this year.

Arguing any study would show the public's support of and need for an expanded golf course, Coun. Dave Ramsay disagreed.

In the end, council directed city staff to report on what sort of support other recreational groups and facilities had received in the past, the public availability of these and whether the city receives any income from them.