What was once the Cedars at Salmon Creek Golf Course officially reopened on Nov. 2 as the Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area.
The remnants of sand traps were the only clear signs that the land was once used as a golf course as vegetation overtook what were once manicured fairways and greens. The titular cedars and other tall trees flanked the sides of the now meadows, save for patches of trees strategically placed to challenge the golfers of days past.
Now those trees serve to provide enjoyment for Clark County residents as one of several county-owned properties intended to preserve the landscape.
The course was originally built by Gerald James in the 1970s as a nine-hole private course, which later included the addition of the clubhouse and an additional nine at the end of the decade, Clark County Public Works Lands Manager Kevin Tyler said. The course was purchased by a larger company in the 1980s, and changed hands to Jolma and his business partner Greg Anderson in 2005.
Discussions about acquiring the old golf course land began in 2019, Tyler said. Two years later, the county parks and lands division provided options for the Clark County Council to move forward with a purchase.“Government wheels turn slowly,” Tyler said.
This year, the council approved both the county’s six-year Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan which included the golf course, and the purchase of 118 acres of the course in August.
The purchase of roughly $2.6 million is paid out from the county’s conservation futures fund. The purchase included nearly all of the former course’s land, save for the clubhouse and the 10th hole.
The property joins another conservation futures-funded project, the Morgan-Salmon Creeks Natural Area, which borders the new area to its east and south.
The conservation futures funds are used by the Clark County Legacy Lands Program. Established in 1985, the program is designed to preserve habitat for both the residents and wildlife, Clark County Parks and Lands Division Manager Rocky Houston said.
Houston noted the natural area follows the same rules as any of the other areas. It opens at 7 a.m. and closes half an hour after sunset. The planning process to include more trails and other low-impact facilities could occur in the next 20 years, the project website stated.
Though Clark County Councilor Gary Medvigy currently doesn’t represent the district where the natural area is located, it was once located in his district 4 constituency before a change in council jurisdictions was made earlier this year.
“It has been a long time, but in the grand scheme of things, it got done through the persistence of all the parties involved,” Medvigy said.
Richard Rylander, the current councilor for the area, thanked the Jolma family for working with the county on the acquisition.
“The opportunity to pick up 118 acres of prime land, to be able to use it for the public for generations to come, is so incredibly significant,” Rylander said.
The event on Nov. 2 featured a nature walk for residents who had the opportunity to learn about what grows and lives in the natural area. To officially open the area to the public, Jolma did the honors of cutting the ribbon with his grandsons.
“I just think it’s a really neat thing for everybody concerned,” Jolma said. “I’m really happy about it. I feel good about it.”
