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Saint John's Rockwood Park Golf Course gets new operators

This spring will mark a new era for Saint John's Rockwood Park Golf Course after the city approved a new operator for the 18-hole course.

Saint John council approved a new operator this week after issuing a request for proposals in the fall.

Jon Skead, his son, Scott and Gary Spicer have a 10-year lease to take over the course with the potential to renew beyond that for two five-year periods.

Jon Skead says they hope to open May 1 and will do extensive work this year.

He said the new operators will begin by finding a solution to a stubborn water problem on the first hole.

"We're going to try and address the drainage issue on number one," says Skead,

"We're going to look at redoing some of the greens, resodding, repairing the greens. Bunkers are certainly a sore point with a lot of golfers out there."

The partners also want to turn the clubhouse into a year-round operation by insulating the building and renovating the kitchen to open a restaurant that will be managed as a sister to Britt's Pub in the city's uptown.

The city-owned 18-hole course has been leased to a private operator for the past two decades.

Last winter, Gerry Connolly, the previous course operator, told CBC News the struggling local economy is having a serious impact on the course's bottom line.

"The number of rounds generally is down 30 to 40 percent from 10 to 12 years ago," said Connolly.

Under the terms of the new lease, the city will continue to own the course but will not contribute to capital improvements.

Skead said the new partners will raise green fees by five per cent to help fund the work on the golf course.