Progress Being Made At the Pines

Progress continues on getting the city-owned, nine-hole Pines golf course re-open in Toccoa.

City Manager Billy Morse updated Toccoa commissioners at their meeting on Monday.

Morse said that the city has hired someone to serve as Course Superintendent to help oversee the work going on now at the course.

“His name is Roger Shedd,” said Morse. “He used to work up there and has been working in the Public Works Department. He has been hired to work full-time up there at the course. He will be maintaining the equipment and the course itself.”

Morse went on to say that work is underway at the course with no major problems to report so far.

“The overall appearance is greatly improved,” said Morse. “Public Works Director Randy Smith is meeting with our greens consultant to talk about the important project of re-grassing the greens.”

That meeting about the greens is scheduled for today, according to Morse.

He said that work is also underway on the kitchen and the pro shop.

Also, Morse said crews have tested the fairway irrigation system and found that it is working and will serve the city’s needs.

That leaves the matter of an irrigation system for the greens.

Monday, Morse presented a proposal to the city commission to purchase the equipment necessary to construct a new irrigation system for the greens.

According to Morse, a recommended consultant helped the city design a system to put in.

“The city crews will install the system, so you are just buying the materials,” said Morse.

City commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of $66,890.69 of equipment to build the greens irrigation system.

Morse said that is under the initial budget they had planned for that project.

The city of Toccoa hopes to re-open the Pines golf course to the public in August.

It has been closed to the public since late last summer when the person leasing the course from the city and handling operations told the city he could no longer operate the course.