Back in 2023, the Duluth City Council voted to officially shutter the Lester Park Golf Course. Earlier this year, the city put out the call for folks to join the Lester Park Recreation Work Group to help figure what to do with the property.

On October 7, the first meeting of the working group’s steering committee was held, which will help to make a plan for the golf course.

With such a big piece of city property, many have stepped up to offer opinions on what to do with it.  In the first meeting, there was a lot to talk about – around three dozen citizens showed up, and during a civil but lively meeting, many offered opinions on what their visions for the property.

In an attempt to keep the plan on task, Mayor Reinert gave the group a strict deadline to hit for presenting their plan.

“We have to know by April 1st if something can happen here or not. And if it can’t, then we’ve got to move on because we’re entering yet another year of the site just being dormant,” the mayor said, “And that’s not healthy for the site. It’s not healthy for our community. But, you know, as I said in my opening comments, it’s a big hill to climb, but I think it can be done.”

Mayor Reinert gave the group two guidelines: discussing the inclusion of several year-round options for recreation, including but not limited to golf, as well as looking into third party management models for the site – meaning that the city would still own the land, but not manage the day-to-day operations.

With many voices in the conversation, formulating a plan will be a tall order. Planning Group members agree but think that they Mayor’s April 1deadline will help the plan’s development.

“It gets difficult with a lot of differing opinions. And having that six-month time frame will really help us to just have to keep pushing forward, regardless of whether or not everyone agrees. I think as long as we get the majority to agree and to buy in that this is the way forward for Lester Park to be a thing again for our community, the better.” Said Konner Cooke, a co-chair of the working group.

With so many details to iron out, the group plans to reconvene in two weeks to further assign responsibilities and establish priorities.