By: Sharon Aron Baron
In an effort to protect the investment of the Colony West Golf Club land that was purchased to preserve open space back in 2011, city staff is proposing the installation of chain link fencing due to the high level of pedestrian traffic trespassing on the golf course.
Last fall, while awarding the bid to Billy Casper Golf to manage the Golf Course and Club, the staff with the City of Tamarac advised the commission that they would evaluate fencing in various areas of the Championship Course of Colony West due to high pedestrian traffic on the golf course. They said that the traffic presented a safety hazard as well impeded upon the golfers who pay to use the Colony West Golf Course.
At Wednesday’s city commission meeting, the commission will vote on a proposed fence that will be installed along the property line of Versailles Gardens Condominiums which sits along Lagos de Campo Boulevard, at a projected cost of $98,672.45.
The pedestrian traffic occurred prior to the abandonment of the lease in August of 2013 by the Rack family and increased significantly during the closed period of the course, and continued to be a persistent issue following the reopening of Colony West despite certain measures taken since that time to reduce the pedestrian traffic flow.
The measures that have been put in place include the golf club working with Tamarac BSO to provide presence on the golf course, as needed, as well as installation of no trespassing signs in strategic locations throughout both courses. Those measures did not have an effect in reducing foot traffic.
In addition, as part of the evaluation to fence a portion of the inner area of the Champion Course, city staff worked with Versailles Gardens Condominium Association regarding the proposed fence on the property line between the golf course and their common area, and received a letter of support for the project.
As owners of the property, the city who wrote in a statement, they had an obligation to make certain repairs and improvements to ensure a safe, efficient and effective use of the facilities. The area that will have a fence installed primarily runs along the property line of Versailles Gardens which sits along Lagos de Campo Boulevard. Currently, there is currently no barrier between Versailles Gardens and Colony west Golf Course. Installation of a fence along that common boundary will deter golfers from entering the property or driving through the property and deter pedestrians from entering the golf course from that property.
If the commission votes to move forward on Wednesday, March 26, the contractor Gomez and Son Fence, Corp., will install a six foot high security black vinyl chain link fence along the shared property boundaries with Versailles Gardens and completed within 60 days from the Notice to Proceed.
