TRAILHEAD

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While the latest version of City Council approved a guaranteed maximum pricetag of just under $7.3 million -- $7 million in general obligation bonds and $300,000 from the Golf Operations Fund – last September for Trailhead’s most extensive upgrade ever, the city has made other reinvestments in the site over the years. A partial list of includes a new clubhouse roof, refurbished restrooms, expansion of the grass section at the driving range, new golf carts, renovation and expansion of tee boxes, landscaping upticks and more.

Jeff Means has lived in Liberty Lake for 25 year and remembers the pre-Trailhead days before the city took control.

“It would have been a big mistake to turn it into something other than a golf course,” Means said. “What else would have gone there? It’s been a great place, even to this day.”

Means, who enjoys golf but says he “is not an avid golfer,” applauds the affordability of Trailhead and the nine-hole format.

“It’s great for golfers like me with short attention spans,” he said.

Brady Means, Jeff’s son and a senior at Ridgeline High School, grew up playing at Trailhead and the two other Liberty Lake courses. He was part of the Falcons’ varsity golf squad this year and nearly qualified for state.

“Trailhead is a good place to learn the game,” said Jeff, who added that Ridgeline and other youth teams regularly utilize the site for practice.

In the early years of Trailhead, city hires Mollie Thola and Ron Knudsen set the tone for the course’s reputation. Thola served as head pro and quickly established a stellar agenda of golf instruction as well as a variety of leagues. Knudsen kept the grounds in pristine condition as course superintendent.

Chris Johnston has carried on the tradition as head pro since 2011. He says the capital project will make the building on the corner of Country Vista and Liberty Lake Road “the nicest in all of public golf,” eclipsing local facilities at sites like Downriver and the Creek at Qualchan.

Two simulator bays – with screens 17.5 feet wide – will feature golf and a dozen other sports like baseball, rugby, football, basketball, bocce ball and more.

“We want to bring in winter revenue and I think this will do that,” Johnston said. “Yes, this is a golf facility and we needed golf course amenities but we also want to have other people use it.”

As the city’s Planning and Engineering Manager, Lisa Key has overseen the layers of work that have gone into the clubhouse project. The design-build effort has included companies like OAC Services, Architects West and Bouten Construction.

“They’ve just been phenomenal,” Key said of the team. “They’ve really acted as an extension of the city and done a great job looking out for our best interests, just making sure we end up with the project we envisioned.”

Key said one of the most impressive aspects of the clubhouse is the flex space that will allow for gatherings of up to 100 people and include sliding glass doors that open up to a patio and expansive views of the fairways and greens. With restaurant capacity of 80 and the deck, overall capacity will be over 250.

“I think it will really be a great community asset,” Key said. “The city really hasn’t had a meeting room this large before.”

Liberty Lake Rotary donated $50,000 toward the audio/visual setup at the clubhouse and will maintain a space called “The Rotary Room” where they will meet once a week.

Rotary President Bob Wiese said the service club is enthused about having a permanent home after meeting at four different sites over the last several years.

“It should generate more interest in Rotary,” Wiese said. “As our membership grows, we can do more for the community.”

In addition to the simulator bays, expanded parking and sprawling 3,600-square-foot practice green, the upgrade has drawn attention for a new on-site restaurant that will be operated by chef Adam Hegsted’s Eat Good Group. Key said the eatery, featuring an eclectic menu, will likely not open until March of next year.

A ribbon cutting for the new clubhouse will take place this month with a day and time to be announced. Key said she has been impressed with the way local golfers have shown patience and caution in “keeping golf going” while Trailhead’s flagship facility was transformed.

“I have to give the golfing community a ton of credit,” she said.

Former city leaders like Owens are quick to give Liberty Lake’s first mayor credit for making golf part of the municipal inventory over two decades ago.

“Steve was a visionary,” she said. “He brought a lot of positive ideas to the city.”

Artwork coming to Pavillion Park basketball courts

Basketball players are soon getting a court surface to match their colorful moves at Pavillion Park. During its June 6 regular meeting, the Liberty Lake City Council approved a contract with Spokane artist Danielle Davis to create a mural for the side-by-side outdoor courts southeast of the park’s buildings.

A committee involving members of the Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission, city staff and others selected the design titled “We Got This” from 19 that were submitted earlier this year. Davis has used a similar style for works she’s done for a bike corral sidewalk mural at