Putt it on the agenda

About 60 people packed Edinburg City Hall last Wednesday to support a request to reverse the City Council’s decision to sell Ebony Hills Golf Course.

Resident Mark Peña spoke first about why the council should reverse its decision.

“Out of the audience, who is here in support of Ebony Hills and wants it to stay part of the city?” he asked.

The audience cheered and some waved their posters supporting Ebony Hills. 

“Ebony Hills has been a part of our community, a part of our history for generations,” Peña said. “It is a jewel in our community. The idea of possibly losing this property to a sale would be a tragedy.”

Peña said the property is in the middle of the city, has a canal in the middle, and neighborhoods surround it.

“It has an opportunity to be a wonderful central city park,” he said. “Now, the last time we were here, the council decided to authorize the sale of this property. I was shocked. Many of us were shocked by that. The news came as a surprise.”

Peña suggested those who have not walked at Ebony Hills should give it a try.

“It is truly one of the most beautiful places in our community,” he said.

Peña said he was glad Ebony Hills has not been sold yet and that there are plans to make the golf course into a park. He encouraged the councilmembers to further explore the idea and share their plans with the community.

“This is football season. Embrace the vision, run with the ball and make a touchdown. Let’s turn this into a park,” Peña told the council.

The audience cheered once more as Peña finished his speech.

“Hey, Mark … I couldn’t talk because they were clapping, but listen, I’d like to appoint you to a committee,” Mayor Richard Molina said. “We’re going to get a committee going, and I want you to bring me the cost estimates on everything on what it is that you’d like to see. Bring it back to us. We’ll go over the budget, see if we can make this thing happen.”

The mayor reassured the audience that the golf course has not been sold.

“We’d like to put this energy into problem-solving and not finger-pointing,” Molina said. “I need you to hold the flag on this one, buddy. Don’t leave me hanging when I put you on this committee because it’s going to take some work.”

Resident James Evans said, “We need areas like that golf course. … That area should be set aside as a national monument, or at least a city monument. I ask you gentlemen to consider that Edinburg was my home. I was born and raised here. I’ll be 86 next month, and I can’t play golf anymore, but I sure did enjoy it while I had it.”

He said young people need a golf course they can grow up on as he did.

“That golf course means an awful lot to me … and I ask you to please consider keeping it the way it is,” Evans said. “…. A nine-hole golf course is hard to find these days, and our Winter Texans, they’re getting up about my age, and they don’t need an 18-hole, they need a nine-hole course.”

Maria Andrea Belmont, a licensed master social worker, said, “I know as a professional the impact that green spaces have on our physical, mental and spiritual health.”

Belmont said she agreed with the other residents’ comments about the positive impact of having a green space.

“I ask you to consider the effects that having green spaces in our communities create for people who are suffering from depression, anxiety, other mental health conditions,” she said. “We need those spaces for people to unwind and to spend time in.”

After several comments, Molina spoke about funding the project.

“I think, Mr. Peña, we had a million dollars that we had allocated for something we were going to do up on the north side. We’ll look at giving you that to start there on the project. Is that a good start, for you to start the project?” Molina asked.

The audience clapped at Molina’s comment. Sixteen residents spoke about the course during the public comment section.

To view the full city meeting, visit the City of Edinburg’s website at http://www.cityofedinburg.com/ecnlive.php.