Twin Willows Golf Club closes after 61 years; turf donated to help Meadowview recover from floods

Twin Willows Golf Club in northwest Edmonton closes its doors Wednesday after 61 years of operation. The land has been sold and is slated for redevelopment as an industrial park.

Ed Sims, the longtime superintendent and owner, arranged for Meadowview Golf and Country Club landscapers to harvest two greens and sod from Twin Willows next week. The turf will be donated to help Meadowview recover from a devastating flood season. "Otherwise, it's just going to get bulldozed. So at least it'll help out because they've got a huge expense coming at them," Sims said.

The closure affects around 600 league members. For Sims, it marks the end of a lifetime at the course. His father was one of the original owners when Golden West opened in 1965; the course split into two clubs in the 1980s. Sims started working at the club at age 10, driving a ball picker tractor, and became superintendent in 1984 after graduating Fairview College. He oversaw the opening of the back nine in 2003. "Been doing it all my life," Sims said.

The decision to sell was influenced by rising property taxes. The city had rezoned the land for industrial use before 2003. "I suppose we've been so busy; it hasn't really sunk in yet," Sims reflected. "Once all the trees are down, and the buildings are gone, then it might hit home."

Meadowview Golf and Country Club experienced what head professional and manager Matteo Piscopo called "the worst year ever for water issues." Six water breaches overtopped the berms protecting the course, submerging the back nine under approximately four feet of water and forcing a season-long shutdown of those holes. Building a single green at a professional course costs around $50,000; Meadowview suffered heavy damage to two greens. The club aims to have all 18 holes ready for next season. "The superintendent and I were thinking, 'How the heck are we going to recover from this?'" Piscopo said. "We've been pretty lucky. Well, we were unlucky and lucky."