Celebrating a century of swing by bushwhacking the golf course

BY KIM LANGEN

A staggering 70 piles of cut brush and dragged-out deadfall were being put to the match this past week.

Big heaps lined the ditch next to the Killarney Lakeside Golf Course, just west of town, and the orange flames from a lit one threw a welcome heat on a cold and blustery Tuesday morning.

“We started yesterday (Monday) on this stretch,” said Chris Hunt, a member of the Killarney Lakeside Golf Club. “We have around 70 piles heaped up in the golf course area. There’s probably a dozen volunteers working here today, club members and other people, and we are cutting back the brush, and clearing out the deadfall around the perimeters of the golf course, and in the trees. We have been burning as we go.”

Hunt was geared up and manning one of the chainsaws, and the better sections of trees were being sawed up into lengths for firewood, he said.

“The volunteers will make use of this firewood,” said Hunt. “It’s all being spoken for. It’s mostly poplar, and a lot of it has rot in the centre. But it will still make some heat.”

As it happens, 2021 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Lakeside Golf Course, he added. And it felt like high time to spruce up some areas of the golf course grounds, which had become overgrown after being left alone for a very long time.

“Dan Robertson and I came out here in early November last year, just to putter and clean up,” said Hunt. “We started because it was a mild winter, and you couldn’t go anywhere because of the pandemic. Then everyone starting joining in. We stopped during the cold spell, in December, and then we started up again in the new year, doing something every week when we could. It’s been fun.”

The crew of dynamic workers have also been busy clearing the areas around Holes 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, said Hunt.

“We have done the front nine holes, and we are working on Number 4 today,” he said.

And as one lively heap of burning wood waste was beginning to sag down into embers, thoughts of food were already circulating amongst the hard-working gang.

“When this fire goes down, we will have a wiener roast, and hot dogs for lunch,” said Hunt. “Someone will bring along the buns, and somebody else will bring the wieners. The hot fire will be very welcome on a cold day like this one.”

HARDWORKING CREW – From left: Ted Knight, Jeff Cuvelier, Dennis Leslie, Tim Morrison, Dana Stimpson, Betty Turner, Dwight Evans, Kelly Bedford, Chris Hunt and Dan Robertson take a short break on Tuesday from tree clean up out at the Killarney Lakeside Golf Course. Members of this group have been volunteering all winter to improve the local golf course, which has also helped them deal with the isolating COVID-19 situation. 

DENNIS TURNER/PHOTO

BURNING BRUSH HEAPS ON SOUTH RAILWAY – A team of intrepid volunteers was busy dragging, cutting, and raking up the scruffy bush area next to the Lakeside Golf Course on a chilly Tuesday, west on South Railway. This was just one of 70 similar piles they had heaped up in recent weeks, as part of a major clean-up at the golf course. Decent wood was kept aside (foreground) for firewood. And they used the fire embers to cook their hot dogs for lunch! What a great job, and just in time for the club’s 100th year celebration.

KIM LANGEN/KILLARNEY GUIDE PHOTOS