The hustler of two of the parking lot ’ s three golf courses is reconfiguring them into a single 18-hole course ( the third base course won ’ triiodothyronine be affected ) and will return more than 93 acres to Orange County, which owns the park, by the end of July .
The country to be reclaimed, near the center of the 607-acre ballpark, finally could be transformed into modern walking trails, a grassy hayfield and amphitheater, a child-oriented nature camp, botanical gardens and a visitors center .
The variety comes as a consequence of rent challenge involving the county and Mile Square Golf Course LLC, which has operated a golf class at the regional park since 1969 and presently runs the classic and Players courses. To address what the county says was an underpayment that extended over several years, the golf path partners agreed to shrink operations depressed to 18 holes and return some of the land to meet other amateur needs.
Orange County plans to convert about 93 acres at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley from a golf course into other refreshment features, including a grassy hayfield, a civic plaza, walking paths and a wetland sphere. ( Courtesy of OC Parks )
The sign at the capture to Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Golfers drill on the putting greens on the classical course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use park. The existing 18-hole authoritative course at Mile Square Golf Course will remain but is being reconfigured to break off those 93 acres. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Orange County plans to convert about 93 acres at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley from a golf course into other refreshment features, including a grassy hayfield, a civic plaza, walking paths and a wetland sphere. ( Courtesy of OC Parks )
Golfers follow the way on the authoritative course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use park. The golf naturally operator is reconfiguring the remaining 18-hole classical course to make way for the expansion. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
A golfer plays the authoritative course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use park. The golf course operator is reconfiguring the remaining 18-hole classical course to make way for the expansion. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Orange County plans to convert about 93 acres at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley from a golf course into other refreshment features, including a grassy hayfield, a civic plaza, walking paths and a wetland area. ( Courtesy of OC Parks )
Sod is piled up future to the golf cart path at Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021 as operators of the course reconfigure the run to make way for the 93-acre expansion of Mile Square Park that will convert the Players Course into a multi-use park. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Erin Finley, 22, of Fountain Valley putts the 9th green on the classical course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use park. The golf course operator is reconfiguring the remaining 18-hole classic run to make way for the expansion. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Orange County plans to convert about 93 acres at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley from a golf course into other diversion features, including a grassy hayfield, a civic plaza, walking paths and a wetland area. ( Courtesy of OC Parks )
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Golfers walk the run on the classic course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use park. The golf course operator is reconfiguring the remaining 18-hole classic naturally to make way for the expansion. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
A section of Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021 is being reconfigured by the course operator to make way for the 93-acre expansion of Mile Square Park that will convert the Players Course into a multi-use ballpark. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
Golfers players putt the 9th fleeceable on the classic course at the Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley on Thursday, July 1, 2021. The County of Orange will reclaim 93 acres of Mile Square Park to convert the generically named Players Course into a multi-use ballpark. The golf course hustler is reconfiguring the remaining 18-hole classical course to make way for the expansion. ( Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG )
The park sits between Fountain Valley, Santa Ana and Westminster, which have some of the county ’ second poorest neighborhoods – wax of kids who need absolve or low-cost outdoor refreshment opportunities, said OC First District Supervisor Andrew Do, who represents the area. Do believes the soon-to-be-former golf course domain will help meet that indigence .
“ You realize these young people are in truth deny access to some of the greatest experiences in life, ” Do said. “ I do believe being exposed to nature opens a youthful person ’ s mind a fortune. ”
Changes underway
After opening the classical course at Mile Square park more than 50 years ago, the business partnership that runs it negotiated with the county to add a second course ( Players ) that opened in 1999. Fast forward to 2017, when – according to a report from county executives – a routine audited account found that an error in calculating the rent ( they don ’ t say who made the mistake ) led to the operator underpay by about $ 3.6 million over several years .
“ The operator was not able to pay that. And then, of course, golf as a business prior to ( COVID-19 ) was on the decay a well. So that kind of made them rethink the wholly business model, ” Do said .
Patrick Kaemerle, one of the general partners that manage the two golf courses, said that while his caller is on beneficial terms with the county, he disputes that it underpaid its rent. ( An outside adviser hired by the company confirmed the rent was properly calculated, Kaemerle said. )
however, while discussing the return of some of the property, Kaemerle and his partners were able to negotiate a lower lease they considered more naturalistic – and more in line with what the operators of other county-owned golf courses pay .
“ We had a lease that was truly at a level that was not sustainable to even keep the golf path open, ” he said .
With the rent publish settled, the golf operator is making changes to the remaining course, which will lie along the south and west sides of the park .
Scott Chaffin, the courses ’ general coach, said they ’ ll lose several holes from the classical course, and the # 1 hole on the Players course will be reversed, “ and because of that we ’ ra having to kind of take some holes that were on the other course and we ’ re kind of reconfiguring them to make a rerouting that ’ second convenient for golfers. ”
While it will look different, he said, “ I think they ’ ll like it, it ’ s not going be that far out of fictional character of what the golf naturally was like before. ”
Plus, Kaemerle said, they ’ ve taken the opportunity to generally spruce up the seat, adding 90 modern golf carts, redoing the drive stove irrigation, refurbishing the banquet facilities and creating a new garden for weddings and other events .
Chaffin said golfers worry it ’ ll be harder to get a tee time, and that might happen. But, he added, they ’ re not looking at raising green fees merely because demand is going up .
‘Crown jewel’
The county has multi-faceted plans for the former golf path domain. Officials held populace meetings and gathered input over the past couple years and now have a master plan for the place .
Some environmental review and design approvals still have to happen, and Do said there ’ s no cost estimate even for the array of project amenities, which would add a recruit boardwalk lined with interpretative signs over a wetland pond, a kids “ adventure play area ” and nature camp, picnic areas and group camp spots, and enough of seating areas around a civil events plaza .
once everything is approved, the work would likely be done in phases, but Do hopes to see the first phase get down soon.
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“ My goal is to get moving on the structure. I see Mile Square park as the crown jewel for the First District. ”
Kaemerle described the consequence of the situation as a authoritative compromise. Though it ’ s probable no one is completely satisfied, there are positives on both sides – the upgrade golf facilities and fresh class, and the new amateur opportunities for everyone .
“ The golfers are dysphoric, but there are a lot of people out there who are not golfers, ” he said. “ That ’ ll be a benefit to the community, so we ’ re felicitous about that. ”
