Baldoon Golf Club has been sold and will tentatively be shut down as of Oct. 31.
The sale is pending Chatham-Kent council approval for a land severance agreement of the property and a by-law amendment to zone the majority of the property as agricultural.
The property at 7018 Dufferin Ave has been sold to two separate buyers.
One proposed owner, Melissa Gaylard, the current general manager at the club, is looking to purchase the clubhouse and continue operating as a restaurant, catering and banquet facility.
The other proposed owner, who won’t be named at this time, is seeking to turn the majority of the property into agricultural land.
Jim Hawryluk and his wife Mary, the owners of Baldoon Golf Club, have had the business up for sale for years.
The Hawryluk’s issued the following statement about the pending sale:
“The Hawryluk family purchased Baldoon 13 years ago with the intention of Micheal Hawryluk who was an avid golfer and had a love for the sport, to one day take over.”
“Unfortunately life doesn’t always take us down the paths we think they will and with the sad and very sudden passing of Michael in 2009, the golf course was put up for sale. Five years have gone by and with Jim and Mary Hawryluk ready for a much deserved retirement, an offer has been put in and accepted pending the approval of a land severance.”
“The Hawryluk’s wanted to share how grateful they are for the members that have been with them through the years and the many friends they have made within the community.”
Gaylard, who handles the day-to-day operations at the club, said different people have come in to look at the property over the years.
“We wanted to find a fit for someone to run it as a golf club, and continue on, but unfortunately after several years of looking, it hasn’t happened,” she said. “We have found someone who is going to purchase it and it is going to be turned into agriculture, which is one of the better ways for it to go.”
Gaylard said she plans to keep the momentum and legacy going at the facility with her restaurant, catering and banquet business.
“Over the past five years the food and beverage has expanded quite a bit,” she said. “We want to continue on with the momentum. The clubhouse, the banquet facility and some surrounding land has been purchased by my self to continue on with our current clientele and keep a piece of the Baldoon alive.”
Gaylard added: “We’d like to see some growth. We are going to grow the catering operations of the facility, expand as far as what we can do in banquets. We have a phenomenal facility.”
Gaylard said operations at the restaurant will not miss a beat.
“I’ve been here the same length of time that Jim has been here… this has also been my second home and second family and we want to continue,” she said. “It will be the same staff, the same group of people out here. We only hope to grow. We have some exciting specials that are going to be coming up. The whole transition will be taking place on Oct. 31. We are going to continue on, it will just be another day.”
Gaylard added: “We are going to make some minor changes, nothing drastic. We’re just going to work on it as we go and make it all for the better. At some point in November, we’ll do some sort of grand opening, some sort of event. We will also be doing a special giveaway for the current members of the golf course.”
Gaylard said she is literally going to keep some of the memories of Baldoon going at the business.
“Any of the memorial stones that are out there, we will be placing them in the garden up front of the building and keeping them on this property,” she said. “We will make a nice spot for them and make sure that they are preserved.”
Gaylard said they will be open full-time year round.
“We’ll be moving right into the Christmas season with no hiccups,” she said. “We will be open breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day of the week, with the exception of being closed on Mondays.”
We’ll provide more information about this story as it becomes available.
