Oakville council supports designating Glen Abbey as heritage site

Town council on Monday unanimously voted to issue a notice of intention to designate the entire 229-acre property of Glen Abbey golf course under the Ontario Heritage Act - a move opposed by the owners of the course.

Thestar.com
Aug. 21, 2017
By Jaren Kerr

The Glen Abbey golf course in Oakville is now on the path to becoming a heritage site.

Oakville's town council voted unanimously Monday night to issue a notice of intention to designate the course, designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, as a heritage site.

Last week, the town's heritage committee voted unanimously to recommend designating the entire 229-acre (93-hectare) property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

"If Glen Abbey isn't heritage, what is?" asked Mayor Rob Burton, echoing the words of a delegate who supported the designation at the meeting.

Of the 21 scheduled delegates who addressed the council on Monday, all but one offered anecdotes that expressed the importance of Glen Abbey to them and their support of the decision to designate the course.

The sole dissenting voice came from Mark Flowers, a lawyer for ClubLink Corp., Glen Abbey's owner.

Flowers said that a report by the town's heritage committee was "overreaching" in what it considered heritage attributes, and called the move to designate Glen Abbey a "rushed process."

Flowers said supporting the designation was an "attempt by the town to frustrate ClubLink's development proposal" - a statement that was booed by the audience that filled the town hall.

A heritage designation could make it difficult to undertake major developments on the property.

In 2015, ClubLink Corp. proposed a plan to build 3,222 residential units and 122,000 square feet of commercial space on the site, leaving 124 acres for public green space.

Flowers also expressed concern that the designation would affect the club's ability to host future Canadian Opens, of which it has held 29. It is slated to host next year's tournament.

Burton asked delegates to focus on the heritage designation and not the ClubLink proposal, but the company faced criticism throughout the meeting.

"It's the citizens of this town who want ClubLink to do the right thing," a delegate named Janet said, to loud applause.

The club owners can appeal council's decision through the Conservation Review Board.

Glen Abbey is one of Canada's most famous golf courses, and the site of Tiger Woods' dramatic 18th-hole shot from a bunker to win the Canadian Open in 2000.