Couchiching golf course well underway

A new, 18-hole golf course at Couchiching could be open as early as next summer.
“The architect has said that if all goes well, we could be done by next year,” Couchiching Chief Chuck McPherson noted this morning.
Plans have been drawn, funds allocated, and land cleared for the project, which will include a club house, pro shop, and driving range as well as the scenic 18-hole course.
The course will run along both sides of Frog Creek just north of the Couchiching, with some holes bordering Stanjikoming Bay.
Introduced by band Coun. Bob Mainville, the project is now coming to fruition after about 18 months of discussion and planning.
“Right now, the whole initiative is under the control of the band. The actual management of it has yet to be determined,” said Chief McPherson.
The course has been designed by Kevin Holmes of M.B.T.W. out of Sioux Narrows. Already about 1,100 cords of wood have been removed from the land by Tom Veert Contracting.
Couchiching council has taken on the project to help create jobs within their community as well as provide a recreation facility for the entire district.
“Certainly it will provide jobs, to begin with,” said Chief McPherson. “Our current administration promised two things–economic development and some kind of recreation facility.
“We’ll try to develop some kind of program for kids,” he added.
Chief McPherson, and project manager Shawn Jourdain, both said there is enough demand from golfers here to have two successful courses–stressing their goal is not to take business away from Kitchen Creek.
“That’s the thing with golfers. They’re always looking for something new. Even though I’d have a membership here, I’d still go to Kitchen Creek,” said Jourdain.
“It’s going to create jobs for community members which will, in turn, bring money to the town of Fort Frances,” he added.
The course, expected to cost roughly $2 million, is being funded by a combination of private investors, Couchiching council, and the federal government.