With the big changes happening at the west end of Niverville, residents have reason to be excited. Many residents have been looking forward to the Shell gas station and Tim Hortons since the day of their announcement.
Around the same time, another announcement was made. Niverville residents were pleased to discover that the owners of the Old Drovers Run golf course were working together with council to preserve the long-term integrity of the nine-hole course.
For residents of The Highlands, the development adjoining the course, this was especially good news. Many of these property owners purchased their homes with the anticipation of a golf course view. Until now, the golf course’s land was zoned Residential 1. Though the current owners of Sunset Estates Ltd. appear to have an interest in maintaining it as a golf course, there remained the risk that, should the property be sold, it could be turned into residential space.
For this reason, a proposal was made to council to consider rezoning the land to “Parks and Open Space.” In December, the second and third reading of the rezoning request was addressed by council and passed with a majority vote.
The rezoning doesn’t ensure the permanency of a golf course into the future, but it does ensure that the land will be preserved as public greenspace until and if another rezoning should be requested in the future. At that time, council and residents would have the opportunity to accept or veto the new request.
