Rose Park residents jam City Hall to support local golf course

Teed up and teed off.

About 100 Salt Lake City residents crowded into the City Council chambers Tuesday evening demanding that no drastic changes be made to the Rose Park (18 hole) Golf Course.

"Leave it the way it is," was a popular sentiment voiced by Joe Tonumaipea. "There are a lot of things they can do before downgrading this course." The public hearing was part of the council's annual budget deliberations and comes on the heels of a consultant's report that Salt Lake City's 8-course golf system is in financial trouble.

Among other things, Tonumaipea said the city could save millions by switching its watering system from culinary water to secondary water.

The council already has determined to close the nearby Jordan River Par 3 (nine hole) golf course at the end of the current golf season. But the council has made no other decisions regarding the city's other courses — including a proposal to remake Rose Park into a so-called "executive course" that could be shorter than the current links.

Nonetheless, most residents in attendance believed the Rose Park links were in the sights of the council's budget-slashing pen.

"We were shocked to hear of the notion of closing Rose Park," said resident Barbara Ogden. "A full 18-hole golf course is more desirable than an executive course ... Rose Park is a gem."

By June 22 the council must ratify Mayor Ralph Becker's proposed $229 million budget.

Residents can make comments on the budget online at "Open City Hall" at www.slcgov.com/opencityhall.