Emerging From A Sand Trap
Repurposing a golf course into a regional attraction
By Bill Clevenger
Photos: Decatur Park District
Closing a city golf course is a decision more and more communities are facing, given the past 15 to 20 years of declining interest (albeit, 2020 is an outlier), budget shortfalls, and a golf community’s resistance to change. Here are six take-aways from a decision in Decatur, Ill., to repurpose an underperforming golf course into a regional attraction that highlights a centrally located lake and the creation of an interactive group of recreation facilities for the entire community and beyond.
1. Make The Decision
Closing a golf course isn’t an easy decision. There is public push-back, questions, several meetings, and difficult conversations. Some community members with a sense of nostalgia find it difficult to overcome when faced with the facts. In addition to the golf issue, previous lake-development plans remained on the shelf with little to no movement toward actual implementation, so there was natural skepticism concerning another major planning effort. Given these circumstances, the decision-making process focused on the future instead of the past. The best approach was to remain transparent, open to discussion, and point to future plans that would be exciting and well-conceived for the community. As planning firm principal Greg Weykamp (Edgewater Resources) put it, “Nothing stays the same. If you’re not moving forward, you’re slipping backward!”
2. Repurpose
After shuttering Nelson Park Golf Course in 2010, the Decatur Park District made a commitment to repurpose this historic park land and move forward with “Lakeshore Landing,” a multi-phased, lake-enhancement, golf-course repurposing project designed to provide year-round activity for citizens, attract visitors, appeal to young professionals, and spur economic development. The process focused on widespread community input, innovative design, a financially feasible plan, and the highlighting of the community’s largest asset—Lake Decatur. Creating unique opportunities for local residents to enjoy, while developing a regional destination for recreational opportunity as well as impacting the local economy, was something the entire community could embrace.
3. Plan And Collaborate
The goal to repurpose the golf course was initiated in 2012. At its core was a progressive vision, strong alliances, and strategic planning. Partnering with a creative, experienced planning firm, completing an aquatic feasibility study, and aligning a strong group of community partners, including the economic-development corporation, chamber of commerce, city, county, Council of Neighborhood Organizations and individually inspired, engaged citizens, were the catalyst for progressive change that continues to enhance quality of life and position the community for growth and prosperity. The plan incorporated many elements designed to drive synergy between two major lakefront parks, Lake Decatur and Scovill Zoo/Children’s Museum of Illinois, in order to create an interactive basin to draw community members and visitors to a wide variety of active and passive recreational opportunities.
4. Think Toward The Future
After gathering unprecedented public input (meetings, Facebook, Lakeshore Landing website, etc.), a community-needs assessment, and public-perception survey, leaders saw specific needs and desires of the community emerge. These included outdoor activities, night life, live music, and increased opportunities for young professionals. Other features included a new hiking trail, 18-hole disc golf course, new fitness pavilion, dog park, new lakefront promenade, upgraded public boat docks, ADA-accessible fishing pier, and enhanced contract restaurants within the Nelson Park/Lakeshore Landing footprint. In addition, a state-of-the-art family adventure park, featuring two championship, zoo-themed miniature golf courses, a high-ropes course with zipline, and batting cages was developed and operationalized in 2017. In 2019, the 3,500-seat Devon G. Buffett Lakeshore Amphitheater opened its gates thanks to a generous donation from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. This state-of-the-art, lakefront venue welcomed more than 40,000 visitors in its inaugural season.
5. Continue To Push Forward
Ten years into the process, the city is still moving forward with vibrant enhancements, as well as a focus on the rehabilitation of a historical, 400-seat WPA pavilion located adjacent to the amphitheater. After a community aquatic study determined one 50-meter pool was underutilized and another pool was obsolete, a major element emerged in the lakefront-development plan, “Splash Cove.” Currently scheduled for opening on Memorial Day 2021, this regional attraction features water safety, recreation, fitness, and adventure. The $11-million project, which broke ground in July 2018, incorporates 6.28 acres that feature three pools, water play, and a four-slide complex, one of the first of its kind in the United States, from European manufacturer Klar. The wading pool includes a zero-depth entry to one-foot depth, a small slide, and water features for tots. The leisure pool has a zero-depth entry, lily pad climber, volleyball net, kids’ play structure, and wet deck. The competition pool has depths from 4 to 13 feet, a rock wall with zipline feature, and diving boards. A bath house and administrative, concession, and mechanical buildings were also constructed to complete the center.
6. Be Flexible
During the construction of Splash Cove, the COVID-19 pandemic brought most of the park operations to a stop, or reduced activity significantly. The pandemic also temporally halted progress on the aquatic feature and shut down international travel, which dramatically impacted the slide-completion schedule. With a pool sitting empty, foreign slides that couldn’t be put through final testing, pumps that couldn’t be run, facility capacity restricted, and group activity cancelled, the decision was made not to open Splash Cove. Instead, the district was able to use that time to work with state legislators to obtain a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant for $3 million to fund a lazy river expansion project. This grant allowed the district to expand the footprint of the complex before it even opened. This unanticipated expansion significantly added to the scope of Splash Cove, and also kept numerous, skilled construction workers employed during extremely difficult times.
For complete plan details, visit www.lakeshorelanding.org.
Bill Clevenger is the Executive Director for the Decatur Park District in Decatur, Ill. Reach him at bill@decparks.com.