By Joe Rector
It’s no secret that I work at a golf course part-time. My job is mowing tee boxes, and I begin each working day about 5:30 a.m. It’s turned a little too cold for my liking by now, but I’m trying to keep warm on the days I work.
Big things took place at the clubhouse the other evening. A meeting was held to discuss turning the course into a sports complex with a nine-hole course and bunches of soccer fields. By the time the meeting began, seats were filled, and several folks circled the back of the room.
For the most part, the session was one where authorities listened to comments from those in attendance. Several folks were there to express their support for the new development; however, most people in the audience were gray-headed or balding and ready for war. Soccer supporters stated that the growth of the sport was causing problems with available facilities. Some complained about having to travel to a separate destination for their children’s practices. Others talked about the big money that a sports complex could bring to Knoxville.
The golfers claimed that taking the course for a development wasn’t necessary. The terrible traffic conditions on Schaad Road presented a major drawback. Another man pointed out that the course hosted approximately 150 rounds of golf each day and that its loss would cause the other eight courses in the Knoxville area to absorb close to 1000 rounds. He said that other courses couldn’t handle the load and that would lead to many golfers being unable to play rounds.
One man stated he’d worked for the department of recreation for 35 years before retiring. He asserted that at least eight sports sites have been abandoned and could be used to serve soccer. A man who was involved with higher-level soccer teams dared the man to name those places, and the elder individual pulled out a piece of paper and read them. One person suggested developing the site at Victor Ashe Park since a large piece of land is already there and could more easily be developed.
One person who lives in a condominium development located along the 12th hole fairway had several objections. She declared that she didn’t want her property values to suffer because of its proximity to a sports complex. She also objected to lighted fields that invaded her privacy and worried about the environmental impact on the land.
Perhaps the best thing that the pro-golf crowd offered dealt with age. As one man said, “Soccer is a sport for the young. A small child might begin playing golf and carry his participation all the way into his elder years. When you take that into account, golf offers much more to its participants than soccer does.”
In the end, the development of a sports complex at the golf course site comes down to one group being left out. Officially, more than 40 fields are available for soccer practice, but additional unofficial fields are located throughout the community. Nine public courses are available to Knoxville golfers. Some say it’s a case of old versus young. With so many other sites as possible locations, the wise decision seems to be one that might be easier to develop and easier to get to than the golf course. Of course, I am a bit biased. My children played soccer, but I hack away at golf. Most of us who attended the meeting tonight don’t have that many years left, so it’s possible that the new development can just wait us old codgers out.
