Sometimes individuals, communities, or organizations are gifted by nature, fate, or whatever. Some of us embrace and enhance it, others diminish it.
Such seems to be the case of the Minnewasta Golf & Country Club’s current foray into replacing its Club House facilities. Its most appealing feature, an uninhibited panoramic view of the course and town beyond, has been lost. That view has now been reduced to the scale of a camera viewfinder.
It was always a pleasure to take friends or guests to the old Club house, to lunch, and bask in its beauteous surroundings. Their Web site says, …..”You can marvel at the panoramic view from the restaurant surrounded by windows or from out in the fresh air on the deck.” This is only from the seven tables beside the windows to the east and south. Even here the sight lines are interrupted, both by a retaining wall and circular drive. In previous years, one would see walkers, joggers, bikers, and strollers, heading up to the lake, as well as being able to watch the action on holes #9 and #18.
It’s like the carbon emitters trucks and SUV’s hitting on environmental crowd. I believe that a somewhat raised Club House and a lower circular drive and retaining wall, would have kept most of the old sight lines. An elevated floor under the cathedral ceiling portion of the Timbers restaurant could provide for a better visual view.
Without the log siding, the former 'rustic Pembina Crossing look' of the building is lost and disappointing. On one's approach to the Clubhouse, the first visual impression that hits you right in the eye, is the bank of huge mechanical devices that surround the rear portion of the building.
Reminds me of the old Joni Mitchell song,
Don’t it always seem to go.
That you don’t know what you’ve got.
Till its gone.
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.
