Riverside Municipal Golf Course

Riverside Golf Course is an 18-hole municipal public golf course owned by the city of Portland, Maine, United States. It is located on the banks of the Presumpscot River.[1]

Riverside Golf Course
Club information
Location1158 Riverside Street
Portland, ME 04103
United States
Established1932
TypePublic
Owned byCity of Portland
Operated byCity of Portland
Total holes30
Websitehttp://www.riversidegolfcourseme.com
Designed byGeoffrey Cornish
Length6,406 yards (5,858 m)

History

Built in 1932, it was expanded to an 18-hole course in 1937 through funding from the Works Progress Administration. In 1969, the 9-hole South Course opened featuring a par 35 playing at 2,941 yards.

From 1938 to 2010, Riverside hosted 42 Maine Open tournaments, the most of any course in the state.[2]

In 2007 the 3-hole practice course was built for the use for junior programming. Throughout the winter the course is used for many winter activities, including cross country skiing, sledding, snowboarding, outdoor ice rink and snowshoeing.[3]

Between 2001 and 2012, the course operated at a loss that cost taxpayers almost $200,000.[4]

In 2016, the group Portland Protectors released a report that showed the course spent $25,000 a year on pesticides as part of its campaign to pass an ordinance restricting pesticide use in the city. [5][6] In response, the course reduced synthetic pesticide use by 60% and installed bee hives.[7] When the City Council passed a pesticide ordinance in 2018 requiring organic landscaping, the golf course was exempted from the requirements if it was designed through Audubon International as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.[8] The course continues to use synthetic pesticides.

The course reopened for the 2020 season with restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

References
  1. City weighs new management for sports sites running in red Portland Press Herald, February 5, 2011
  2. Chard, Tom (July 29, 2014). "Golfing in southern Maine: Riverside makes money, inspires pride". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  3. Billings, Randy (December 12, 2012). "Golfers don't want Portland course privatized". The Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  4. Writer, Dennis HoeyStaff (2012-07-25). "Expert: Portland can bring Riverside Golf Course up to par". Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  5. Zeli, Anthony (2016-02-03). "Group Seeks to Ban Pesticides". The West End News. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  6. "Maine Voices: Pesticide ordinance would have Portland flourishing responsibly". Press Herald. 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  7. Harry, David (2017-06-29). "Amid pesticide debate, bees becoming par for course at Riverside". Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  8. Randy BillingsStaff Writer (2018-01-04). "Portland's tough new ban on synthetic pesticides allows few exceptions". Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  9. "Riverside Golf Course reopening with coronavirus, COVID-19 restrictions". newscentermaine.com. Retrieved 2020-07-01.


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