Uncertainty surrounds Logan City Golf Club after council does not renew caretakers’ sublease

UNCERTAINTY surrounds the Logan City Golf Club after caretakers for the past 15 years — as well as 12 of their staff — said a sad ­farewell.

Carl Evans and Craig Baldwin at Logan City Golf Club. Picture: Peter Cronin

UNCERTAINTY surrounds the Logan City Golf Club after caretakers for the past 15 years — as well as 12 of their staff — said a sad ­farewell on Friday.

Carl Evans and Craig Baldwin fear players will be slugged with higher prices after Logan City Council said they would not be ­granted a new sublease.

The pair operated the course under Logan City Golf Club Pty Ltd, with ­Australian Golf Management leasing the council-owned land.

However, Mr Baldwin and Mr Evans were notified in June that council would not extend the agreement.

It follows an ongoing ­dispute over compensation for a 1.5km sewerage pipeline that was installed in 2015 after four years of ­negotiations.

“One thing we’ve tried to do is keep the fees cheap and, while we can’t say they will certainly go up, we are concerned that may happen,” Mr Evans said.

The pair, who are now unemployed, also fear they may be forced to sell their houses because they have no income.

The ongoing dispute, they claim, cost the club “about 300 members” during the works. Mr Baldwin said they had tried to come to a solution with the council, but he said council had “kept moving the ­goalposts”.

“We tried to warn (Logan City Council) the whole way through about what would happen to our business and they just did not listen,” he said. “I’m furious. We’re prepared to fight this.”

In a statement, Logan City Council treasurer Trevina Schwarz said: “Council has paid significant compensation to the Logan City Golf Club based on the financial information provided by the club.

“As we have been unable to reach a final agreement on the compensation, this is now subject to possible court action and, as such, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”