One of the Town of Tonawanda’s public golf courses could be shrinking.
Town officials are considering a plan to slice off six of Brighton Park Golf Course’s 18 holes to make way for a development of single-family homes on this land.
The proposal is still in the preliminary stages and hinges on Tonawanda’s ability to create a new park at the former Cherry Farm landfill site along the town’s waterfront, Supervisor Joseph Emminger told The Buffalo News.
“They’re both tied together,” Emminger said. “Without the Cherry Farm we can’t do Brighton.”
The idea of converting Brighton Park to a 12-hole course is likely to face opposition from many golfers, notably members of the clubs that play the course.
“We’ve got 250 members and everybody would be opposed to it,” said Paul Wzontek, a former vice president and 30-year member of the men’s Brighton Park Golf Club.
But Emminger said this fits a trend within the golfing world, where people aren’t always able to devote the more than four hours it can take to finish an 18-hole round.
“People may not have time to play 18 but want to play more than nine. Or seniors who also don’t have, let’s just say, the stamina, perhaps the energy, to play 18 holes, but want to play more than nine,” Emminger said.
Tonawanda has two municipal, 18-hole golf courses. Brighton Park, on Brompton Road off Colvin Boulevard, opened in 1961.
It’s a less-challenging layout than the town’s other course, Sheridan Park Golf Course, which opened in 1933 and is widely considered one of the better public courses in the region.
“We’re looking to keep, obviously, Sheridan open,” said Emminger, calling it “a premier public golf course in Western New York.”
Brighton is split by Brompton Road. The first three holes, and the back nine, are on the north side of Brompton.
Holes 4 through 9 are on the south side of Brompton, between a U.S. Army Reserve Center and the town’s outdoor driving range.
The town is considering taking back the land…
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