Golf Could Return To IHCC
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Golf balls might be flying sooner than baseballs across the Indian Hills Country Club.
St. Landry Parish president Jessie Bellard indicated on Thursday night that current plans for converting the 103-acre property into a sports complex include initially refurbishing the former golf course, which Bellard expects to become playable for recreational and financially sustaining purposes.
Bellard explained his intention to once again host golf at the facility during an Indian Hills community meeting which he hosted along with members of his administrative staff.
The parish obtained the 75-year-old Country Club in December from Opelousas Life Church.
Since then areas of the clubhouse have been used as a warming shelter, which Bellard intends to reopen next week as local temperatures are scheduled to dip into the low 20’s.
On Thursday night Bellard said that he agreed to meet with Indian Hills-area residents.
“The people from around (the country club) wanted to know what we plan to do with the Country Club. I told them at the meeting that we are always open to answering questions about what we are doing and I want to hear about their suggestions,” Bellard said following the meeting.
During a post-meeting interview with St. Landry Now.com, Bellard said that he wants to rehabilitate the former golf course, which had become overgrown with vegetation while being owned by the church for nearly four years.
“We have a consultant that we are working with and what we want to do is start getting the course ready for golf,” Bellard said.
Golf has not been played competitively at Indian Hills for at least the last five years, when the facility was owned and operated by Lee Young and his family.
Bellard said the former 18-hole course, driving range and putting green could be utilized in order to provide baseline revenues for helping finance the sports complex, which Bellard has said could eventually feature baseball and softball fields.
At this point Bellard said he isn’t sure about the configuration or length of the proposed course. However Bellard added that he is cutting down the weed growth that had developed, something he has labeled as a Phase One project.
The cost for obtaining the facility is being covered by grant funding, Bellard told those who attended the meeting.
Bellard explained that developing the facility into a family-centered sports complex will also assist the parish and Opelousas city officials with sales and motel tax revenues.
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