The Boulder Creek (Calif.) Recreation and Park District is seeking public input on the potential $1.5 million purchase of the four-acre wooded property, which includes a 3,800-sq. ft. clubhouse, pool, sauna, hot tub, tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball courts and picnic area.
The Boulder Creek (Calif.) Recreation and Park District is considering purchasing the $1.5 million Bear Creek Country Club, and is seeking public input, the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Sentinel reported.
The district board will host a town hall meeting June 23 to gauge community’s interest. The four-acre wooded property includes a pool, sauna, hot tub, tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball courts and picnic area. The 3,800-sq. ft. clubhouse includes a weight room and game room, the Sentinel reported.
The club remains open for members, despite the property’s listing for sale last month. The owner, Mary Beth Patterson of Boulder Creek, notified the district of the listing, and for the past few weeks the district has begun a feasibility study, community outreach and a funding search, said George Galt, the district’s board chairman.
The district is not considering a bond measure. If the purchase moves forward, it would be supported by a mixture of grants, fundraising and membership fees. The club wouldn’t need to make a profit, but would need to be self-sustaining. “This is an extremely preliminary feasibility stage. We’re looking at whether the district could support this on an ongoing basis,” he said.
Galt said he’s not sure if a purchase is possible as it mostly depends on the community’s interest, the Sentinel reported.
“In other words, if we went into the community and they said, ‘Eh, we don’t care,’ then that would be a significant factor,” Galt said.
However, previous surveys show that Boulder Creek residents want a swimming pool, the Sentinel reported.
“In a lot of ways, this ticks a lot of the boxes that our community has been asking for,” Galt said. “So what we felt was, we would be remiss in not giving it a good, hard look.”
If purchased, the club would be the district’s first property with indoor facilities. The district currently owns three parks, the Sentinel reported.
“We, as a district, don’t have any large investments in the area, and obviously for the longevity of our district, it would be a really positive thing to move in the direction of owning something that would be passed down,” Greene said.
The district’s operating budget is around $332,000, and to operate the club, Greene estimated it would cost an additional $180,000. The club also requires upgrades, such as roof repairs and updated access for disabled people, she said.
Lynn McKibbin, a 26-year Boulder Creek resident who lives in the Bear Creek Estates subdivision surrounding the club, said she supports the purchase. She distributed flyers to all her subdivision neighbors about the upcoming meeting, the Sentinel reported.
McKibbin was once a club member, but stopped after her son grew up. Historically, club membership has been small and exclusive, mostly teachers on summer vacation, she said. Parts of the club were only open seasonally, the Sentinel reported.
“A really positive thing about this (possible purchase) was it could be open year-round, with proper activities, a schedule and all of that stuff,” McKibben said. “With public ownership of the club, it would be way more well-utilized.”
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