Golfing on the island: not before end of summer

As in the case last year, however, L'Île-des-Sœurs golfers will soon enjoy the magnificent driving range developed on-site. Only one thing needs to be installed – a protective net on the side of the bike path that snakes along the shore. When that’s up, the public can start enjoying the facilities.

On the course itself, landscaping and grass work still need to be done. Each of these steps must be approved by the Minister of the Environment; note that the facilities must respect very strict rules given their proximity to lac des Battures, the river bank and the Boisé Saint-Paul.

Numerous snags have characterized this site’s development giving the impression that the work started well before the actual date. The official news is that the Trinité Golf, Spa et Sanctuaire project did not start until the beginning of 2007 with the hope that it could open in summer 2008. The preliminary phase, which consisted of covering the entire site with a metre-long layer of clean soil was more complicated than expected. In autumn 2007, Matthew Calpakis was forced to announce that the project could not be completed in 2008 as he had hoped.

Last year, major management changes occurred in Trinité Golf, Spa et Sanctuaire leading to Pierre Émond, a resident of the island, becoming president and principal shareholder. During an interview with a Le Magazine representative in summer 2008, he said he was confident that the driving range would be completed during autumn – and it was. He did not, however, want to give a precise date for the opening of the 9-hole course.

As of press time, Le Magazine could not get a hold of Mr. Émond to obtain his comments. But a representative of Trinité Golf, Spa et Sanctuaire expressed confidence that the course will be finished before the end of this summer. She also said that the driving range will open to the public as soon as the protective net is installed.