Tamarack Golf Club has just completed it’s 49th year of operation in Labrador West…and a challenging year it turned out to be!
In January a phone call from a passing snowmobiler indicated that a door might have been left open on the maintenance shed. The next day a few employees and executive went up to investigate and found that a fire had destroyed the maintenance garage and all the equipment inside. A devastating loss for our members club!
An emergency meeting was called for the executive board and without hesitation ideas and plans starting moving on how to recover. Immediate work began on identifying the equipment loss: greens mowers, service carts, fertilizers, seeds, flags, polls, sharpeners, maintenance tools and much more.
Estimated losses were in the $250,000.00 range plus the building.
Ken Sherren Tamarack course superintendent put in extensive work with his team to ensure all items were identified to support investigation, insurance claims and requirements to get started.
Our management started working on plans for employees and operations and how to be ready for opening day. Some employees that had indicated they would be retiring felt that one more year was required in order to help get the club back to par!
- A local contracting team RM&S put together plans and estimates to get a building up.
- RFP’s were sent out to replace the equipment.
- Meetings were held with executive, government officials, town officials and the club was assured the help would be there.
- Plans were needed to remove the destroyed structure, repair the power lines,
The executive then had to make the call on how to proceed for 2017 and beyond.
It was decided to proceed with an extensive replacement of equipment and building. The approach was to turn disaster into long term improvement for Tamarack.
Full replacement of equipment and a new maintenance building would be built. A huge challenge.
Equipment orders were placed with delivery times expected just in time to start the season. A building order was placed with later season delivery.
Our course workers would work with the remaining infrastructure for the season. They would learn to operate and maintain new equipment and adjust their requirements to ensure the members had a quality course. They were ready for a challenge and exceeded all expectations!
The course was in exceptional shape from day one and maintained all season. The team took on the challenge and achieved great results. Greens, fairways, tee boxes were all outstanding. They never missed a beat. Members and visitors alike were impressed with the course condition – greens are as good as anywhere was a common compliment.
The next challenge was the building replacement with new equipment it had to be protected!
The decision to put up a new steel building was determination to leave a long-term benefit for the club. The risk was if it could be torn down- designed- ordered-delivered-civil work completed and constructed in a very short Labrador building season. The pictures show the result. In just a week before the snow started the equipment was put away in a well constructed modern building.
Resistant Material and Supply Company better known as RM&S made it all happen! The efforts and leadership shown by this local owned company have ensured Tamarack will be a long-term recreation facility to the people of Labrador West. It could not have happened with out them
From a disaster to a great story…. that is what happened at Tamarack in 2017!
2018 will be year 50….we will make this one more fun!