
It’s a bittersweet time for Ian Robertson who, for the past 30 years, has owned and operated Kelowna Springs Golf Course.
At first snowfall, the course will close and cease being an 18-hole course.
It will operate in 2025 as a nine-hole course utilizing the front nine only under the ownership of Robertson. After that, a decision on its future will rest with new property owner Denciti Development Corp. which bought the 106.5 acre property in 2022.
“Denciti is making that decision, I can’t speak for them,” Robertson recently told Castanet News.
“It was them who said we will give you a lease for nine holes and it would be great if you would operate it next year.
“I am operating for next year, and under no circumstances, will I operate beyond that.”
Originally after Denciti purchased the property, Robertson, who still owns the golf operations business, said he would operate it for one, two years at the most through 2024.
“When this became politicized and the challenges came, I agreed to oversee the transition from 18 to nine holes to hopefully show it is going to be an exceedingly great nine-hole course and a viable business.
“It’s my hope this will be a nine-hole course longer term, but that’s beyond my control.”
Robertson and his family purchased Kelowna Springs from the original owner in March of 1995.
It had only been operating for four-and-a-half years, but the original owner was having a hard time getting traction and put the course up for sale.
Robertson had operated a municipal course in Alberta before he moved here to operate the course.
The family owned the land and he owned and operated the business of running the course.
“I love Kelowna Springs too,” said Robertson who has heard from many people who are sad to see the course as it is today go away.
“It’s a great track, I’m proud of what we’ve done there, but I grew up in a business family.
“Our family are business people, and there was an opportunity that made sense for our family and we elected to sell.”
The sale price has not been disclosed, however Denciti CEO Garry Fawley has described it as “north of $30 million.”
While rumours swirl about the future of other courses in the city, Robertson is bullish on the game. It’s just a matter of finding the land.
“The ALR used to allow golf courses to be built on those lands and there is a lot of flat land in the valley. Perhaps there should be some political will to find a way to make that happen.
“You just have to go north of the airport between there and Jim Bailey Road for example.
“There’s loads of farmland there that would make a great 18 or 36-hole golf course.”
As he gets ready to turn over the keys a year from now, Robertson says he will miss all the great people, customers and staff, but will not miss being an owner.
He hopes to continue playing a round at Kelowna Springs in the future.
“We’ve got a guy in the pro shop that is willing to buy the business if he can get a long-term lease.”
But again, Robertson reiterates, that is out of his hands.
The future of the entire property rests with Denciti and ultimately city council.
Denciti's CEO has stated the plan is to keep the nine-hole course going while developing the rest of the property for industrial use.
Informal discussions have been taking place between Denciti and city planners but nothing concrete has been brought forward.