Karen Rainey Wilkins, commissioner of Parks and Recreation, told the Education, Recreation and Health Committee that Toledo’s three municipal golf courses have shown year-over-year revenue growth and are on track to reach break-even by 2027 under current projections.

Wilkins led a presentation that included a short video celebrating the municipal courses’ history and community role. She credited Oliphant Golf, the course manager, and the municipal golf commission for improvements to play quality, merchandise and food-and-beverage revenue. The presentation said revenue figures are current as of Oct. 10 and that merchandise and food-and-beverage sales have contributed meaningfully to the gains.

Commission and council reactions

Mark Sobczak, chair of the golf commission, and Councilman Melden spoke in support of the management changes, saying the courses have improved markedly from prior years. Melden noted media coverage in The Blade and praised the volunteer preservation-and-engagement commission.

Council members asked for additional breakdowns and context. Melden suggested future reports include percentage shares (for example, the share of total rounds and revenue attributable to each course) to make comparisons clearer; he observed that Ottawa Park represents a substantial share of revenue and rounds played. Councilwoman Morris asked whether the golf operations have ever broken even; staff replied they could not confirm a prior break-even year and said it has been many years if it occurred.

Bayview and public access concerns

Councilwoman Williams announced she will convene a public meeting with Bayview retirees and stakeholders, likely in November, to discuss Bayview’s future. Several council members emphasized the role municipal courses play in widening access to golf and providing youth programming through partnerships such as First Tee.

Video and community outreach

The presentation included a video produced by commission members and an intern that framed municipal golf as a public good dating to 1899. Council members and staff repeatedly framed the courses as community assets that support youth clinics and local engagement; Councilman Melden described municipal golf as a source of voluntary revenue to the city approaching $1.6 million in the current reporting period and praised the courses’ role in job and scholarship pathways for youth.

No formal actions

Committee members did not take a formal vote during the presentation. Council members asked staff to make the presentation video available and to continue reporting revenue and participation trends, and several members offered to participate in outreach and youth clinics to demonstrate municipal-course benefits.

Ending

The presentation closed with council discussion about scheduling a Bayview public meeting and invitations to view youth clinics at the municipal courses. No policy decision or contract award was made during the session.