DIDSBURY – A local man is lamenting the fact that his view of the Didsbury Golf Course is about to be obscured by the building of an outhouse.
Allan Little, who has lived in his condo with his wife for a year and a half, was quite upset when he saw crews working on the outhouse on Dec. 19.
“They're putting the outhouse right in front of my front window,” said Little. “My front window has a view of the number seven fairway of the golf course. That's why I bought the house because it had a good view.”
The 83-year-old has lived in Didsbury for 17 years and has been a member of the golf club for 15 of those years.
The outhouse is being built on the golf course side about 50 feet from his fence.
He is also upset that he was not notified.
Little spoke to representatives from the town as well as the golf course. He asked the golf course rep how he would like it if “I put a toilet on your front lawn.”
“He responded by saying ‘I'm not putting it on your front lawn',” recalled Little. “I said ‘no you're not but it's pretty darn close.' I asked him where we go from here and I was told ‘well, we're going ahead and putting it in.' I said ‘OK then, I'm going to be on your neck. You'll be the first one (I talk to) and then my lawyer will be the next one.' I did a lot of golfing at that course. There are better places they could put it.”
The Didsbury Golf Club operates the course, while the town owns the land.
Christofer Acheson, manager of legislative and development services for the town, said that due to the size of the proposed buildings they do not require a development permit through the Town of Didsbury, but need to obtain a building permit through IJD Inspection, the town's safety code officers.
“The only permits required for the construction of the outhouses would be obtained through IJD Inspections,” said Acheson. “The town needs to provide approval as the landowner.”
Norm Jordet, vice-president of the Didsbury Golf Club told the Gazette work began on the outhouse on Dec. 19.
He said that none of the neighbours were notified, as that was not required.
“It was a building permit application only so it was no development permit, which means no public input,” said Jordet. “We're actually doing two (outhouses) under this building permit.
“One is replacing an old outhouse, a single stall unit behind the number two and number four greens. This one is at the far east end of the course where we have no facilities close by.”
In response to the complaint, the golf course did decide to readjust the location of the outhouse, “so it didn't interrupt his view as much.”
“We compromised,” said Jordet.
The outhouse won't be completed until spring before the club opens.
At this point, the course is readying the area and putting in a septic tank.
Little is still not satisfied with the compromise by the golf course.
“They moved it maybe 15 feet to the south,” said Little. “This was one of the suggestions my wife gave them because it was right in the line of sight with the gazebo (on the course) just off number seven tee box.
“I'm not happy with this yet. It really gets to me because they did not inform me that they would do this.”
Little said the outhouse's proximity to his condo will devalue his property.
“I'd like to see them make more concessions,” he said. “I like the idea of planting trees around and hiding it. It really bothers me that they have 80 acres or so and they decide to plunk it right there in the middle of a residential area.”
