Sturgeon Valley in The 1960's "The Beginning"
"Realizing the need for additional golf and recreational clubs in the Edmonton area, a plan to serve the district of Edmonton and St. Albert, is underway with the development of the Sturgeon Valley Golf and Country Club."
These words were first quoted in a campaign drive for members to form a new golf club. It may have been just a dream at first but five entrepreneurs; Frank Lieber, Harold Londry, Harold Hood, Boyce Green and William Plowman purchased 140 acres of farmland originally homesteaded by Angus Kennedy. So it was on March 2, I960 the Sturgeon Valley Golf and Country Club was born.
Jack Myler, then head of Edmonton Parks and Recreation, was responsible for the design of the Course. With the layout completed, contouring and seeding soon followed and by late July, 1960 the members were able to play on the new fairways and temporary greens. These initial nine holes were located across the road from the present clubhouse. The second nine holes were to be developed later, with four holes in the area where the present first, 10th, 17th and 18th holes are now located. The remaining five holes were planned for the low land to the northwest of the ninth fairway dyke.
At the official opening on April 20, 1963 it was recognized that the cry of "fore" would ring out many times in the Valley of the Sturgeon River.
In 1962 Bill Wright was hired as the first Greenskeeper and the Club Professional was his son, Bill Wright, Jr.
One of the major developments for the Club was initiated on December 12, 1963 at a General Meeting. The Board of Directors were given approval to negotiate an Agreement with the five entrepreneurs for purchase of the golf course. The fina1 negotiations were concluded on February 1, 1964 when the formal signing of the "Agreement of Sale" took place. The members foresaw a bright future for the Club and must be recognized as "The Pioneers of the Sturgeon Valley Golf and Country Club".
Hard times, however, were ahead for the Club. For instance, in the spring of 1965 the lower holes on the back nine were flooded up to ten feet. The flooding was so severe that residents of the area viewed it as the highest water level in fifty years. Flooding again took place during the spring of 1966 but not nearly as high as the previous year. Changes had to be made to this flooded portion if Sturgeon was to remain fully operative. The plans, as prepared in 1965, moved the five holes from the lowest land to a higher area away from the flooding. Realizing that additional funds were necessary for this construction, members were asked to purchase a second share for Two Hundred Dollars. The members' support was gratifying and the necessary money was raised. The newly constructed nine holes opened for play in September 1967.
Development of the Club was slow for the next two years and membership did not increase at the rate projected. With funds very low in 1969 the original entrepreneurs informed the Club that they were going to foreclose due to a lack of payment.
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