LANSING, Mich. — Leslie Arnell, who lives near Bancroft Park, said she has doubts about Lansing Mayor Andy Schor’s promise not to build a golf driving range or practice facility at Bancroft Park.
“This neighborhood has been ignored for a really long time, so we are just very cautious when it comes to what they’re doing to do,” Arnell said.
“We love Bancroft park, and we’re not planning on putting a driving range in there,” Schor said.
Residents’ concerns stem from a Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority meeting back in April.
“In the meeting minutes, they mentioned how this field right here will be great for a golf driving range, and neighbors and friends of the park were not aware of those discussions, and we would obviously want to be involved in such a discussion,” said Mike Dombrowski with the Lansing Park Board.
The range and practice facility could be an extension to Lansing's only municipal course, Groesbeck Golf Course.
City officials said mentions about the driving range and practice facility were just discussions and not plans. We’re told the discussions started because the city underwent a study to find out ways on how to make the Lansing golfing experience better and increase revenue.
“That’s always the goal here with golf, to provide those services and to reduce subsidy that the city can spend more dollars on other parks and cemeteries,” said Lansing’s Park and Recreation Director Brett Kaschinski.
As of right now, Schor stands on his promise to keep Bancroft how it is, but if things change, residents said they just want to be in the loop.
