Situated along the world famous Alaska Highway, the stunning Lone Wolf Golf Club in Taylor, B.C. is more than just a recreational facility — it’s a community hub.
The municipality-owned club is an 18-hole, par 72 championship course, which was built as part of an initiative to provide residents with recreational facilities after the community began to see a large dip in its population back in the 80’s.
“The town needed to keep residents and attract new ones after the significant fluctuation in the population numbers,” said Dave Callum, General Manger, Lone Wolf Golf Club. “They wanted to build these recreational facilities, such as the arena and the golf course, to be regional assets not just for Taylor but for everyone else as well.”
Being an integral asset to the community, maintenance of the course remained a priority for the District of Taylor. The need for upgrades arose as the population grew larger and the popularity of the golf course steadily increased. Through Northern Development’s Community Halls and Recreation Facilities (CHRF) program, the District was able to access $60,000 in funding support for three major projects.
Beginning with upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, these improvements were required in order to keep operating costs down and to enable more efficient working conditions for staff.
“Before the HVAC system was upgraded our kitchen wasn’t air conditioned,” said Callum. “It would get up to 40-45 degrees back there and it was almost unbearable for the kitchen staff. Having the system put in really helped us to not only retain staff and keep them happy, but it allowed us to provide better service for our customers.”
Following the HVAC system upgrades, the club’s irrigation system was in need of an overhaul. This included repairs to the existing system and new additions, which allow for better maintenance response and water management.
“Being able to manage and control our water usage has been crucial,” said Callum. “It’s a valuable natural resource and you want to manage it correctly, especially on a golf course where certain areas need different amounts for the grass to flourish. This helps us present a course that people want to use.”
Nice grass also gets you some major recognition as well as the Lone Wolf Golf Course currently holds the award for the best manicured course in northern British Columbia by Inside Golf Magazine.
“We’re really proud of that achievement,” said Callum. “But it wouldn’t have been possible without the support from Northern Development. Before the irrigation system upgrade this was only a dream, so we are very appreciative of this achievement thanks in part to the Trust.”
As the upgrades and accolades have helped the course grow in popularity, with it came the challenge of accommodating more tournaments and events. With only 50 golf carts available in the fleet, the course did not have the sufficient resource to attract bigger tournaments and was losing out on potential revenue not just for the course, but the community as well.
“We just were not able to accommodate the number of people who would come to these events,” said Callum. “We would have 150 people come to a tournament and only 100 could ride and the other 50 would have to walk, it wasn’t an ideal situation.”
The club was able to expand their fleet thanks to funding support from the CHRF program, which allowed them to add 20 more carts.
“Having the extra carts really helped us dramatically,” said Callum. “We are able to host bigger tournaments, provide better accommodation during peak hours, and just be better prepared overall for events and league nights.”
It isn’t only about the upgrades for the course, as the club sees themselves as a gathering place for members of the community to get outside and enjoy the recreational facility on a daily basis.
“I’d call us a recreational hub for the community,” said Callum. “With all the other things offered here I think we are more than just a golf course and that is very important to us and the region.”
As the club continues to grow, so does the community of Taylor. The Lone Wolf Golf Course provides steady economic growth for the entire region and is an integral part of the fabric of our communities all across northern B.C.
“We’ll continue to do our best to provide our community with an excellent recreational facility for years to come,” said Callum. “When you come here, it’s like we are all a big family and it’s important for us to keep that going.”
