Golfers claim “hundreds of people will be affected” if Dundee’s last remaining public courses are shut down.
Operator Leisure and Culture Dundee’s board has approved plans to close the 18 and nine-hole courses at Caird Park.
The proposals – which would save the organisation more than £335,000 per year – need to be ratified by Dundee City Council before going ahead.
It comes just four years after the city’s only other public golf course at Camperdown was closed to save money.
The idea of closing the Caird Park courses emerged as part of significant budget proposals being put forward by council officials.
Other potential closures include Broughty Castle, Mills Observatory and Charleston and Arthurstone libraries.
Final decisions are expected later this month when the SNP administration sets out its spending plans.
Golf has been played at Caird Park for more than 100 years and it was once renowned as the busiest public course in Europe in the 1980s.
‘It can’t be right’
Tom Alexander, 78, a member of the club for more than 60 years, says he is appalled by the proposals.
He told The Courier: “This is unbelievable. Hundreds of people will be affected.
“We currently have a membership of around 80 but in the summer we get hundreds of visitors to the courses.
“It cannot be right that they close the city’s last remaining municipal golf courses as part of budget savings.”
Tom has called for any closure plans to be put to public consultation – an idea also suggested by council officials.
He added:Â “Those of us who are members will certainly be making our thoughts known about the proposed closure.
“I very much hope this won’t be allowed to happen.”
Libraries body in direct plea to Dundee councillors
It comes as the Scottish Library and Information Council – the independent advisory body to the Scottish Government on library and information-related matters – has written to Dundee councillors over the library proposals.
Chief executive Pamela Tulloch said: “We are reminding them of the vast benefits a thriving public library service can provide and to highlight those who stand to lose the most if our services are cut even further: communities across Dundee.
“Now is the time for Dundee City Council’s elected members to give libraries the financial backing that they need – that they deserve – to continue delivering the public services which have become vital to communities across the country.”
Council leader John Alexander has already vowed to avoid cuts to bin collections in the budget and says he will not take forward many of the ideas on the table.
But he has admitted he still faces “painful” decisions in finding £24 million of savings.
Kevin Keenan, leader of the opposition Labour group, said: “The volume of cuts is enormous and I think are the worst I have ever seen, given that in the last 10 years, they have taken £140m out of local government.
“It is difficult to see cuts now that would not affect individuals massively.”
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