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Residents urge West Valley City to preserve The Ridge Golf Course during public comment
Summary
Dozens of speakers told the council The Ridge Golf Course provides green space, veteran camaraderie and community identity and urged policymakers to resist a short-term sale; speakers said the course supports youth programs and social connections.
Public commenters during the Nov. 18 West Valley City meeting urged the council to preserve The Ridge Golf Course and resist selling it to raise short-term revenue.
"The Ridge has been home to weddings, reunions, celebrations that have created lifetime memories," Tom Cordova said, summarizing reasons the course matters to residents. Cordova, a former owner of Great Harvest Bread Company stores, told the council that parks and golf courses "provide identity, community, health, and pride" and asked elected officials to consider legacy rather than short-term financial fixes.
Jim Visock described a recent My Hometown youth Friendsgiving that served more than 100 young people and urged the council to consider youth needs in budget deliberations. Another commenter described veterans finding purpose and camaraderie on the course, saying the Ridge "saves lives" by helping veterans process PTSD through structured activity.
Speakers repeated several practical concerns: loss of open space, potential replacement by dense housing or apartments, and that only a small share of current golfers may be city residents (a commenter asserted about 1%). Ryan Mahoney, who said he is central region chair for House District 31 for the county Republican party, echoed veterans' praise for the course and asked council to consider preservation in future discussions.
The comments were delivered during the public-comment period; the council did not make a decision on The Ridge at this meeting. Council members later debated separate items involving city properties and budgets during the agenda.
