Deflated for now, Saskatoon's Golf Dome is about to get a makeover
A lesser known fixture of Saskatoon's skyline is coming down for repairs and renovations.
The Ramada Golf Dome just north of downtown is nearing the end of its lifecycle. Over the next several weeks, crews will be dismantling the indoor driving range and ballpark before erecting a new dome in time for the fall.
"I just know that we're at the end of its life," Darryl Caudle, Ramada's vice president of hotel operations for Saskatoon and Regina, said.
"Every year you have big storms that come up and so we're a little concerned at times about weight bearing and snow and things like that, so it's time."
Caudle has managed to attract some unusual attention for the once every two decades renovation.
Taking his sales pitch to Facebook, Caudle posted an advertisement for the thousands of feet of tarp, insulation and cables that make up the domed roof. Like any online classified advertisement -- there's been steady interest.
"I figured in today's world, what better way than social media to kind of get that out as a platform." Caudle said.
"We've had several requests, but I'd rather deal with just one person, ideally."
There should be more than enough tarp for a family camping trip.
Moving such a large amount of material off the property is no easy feat, and as Caudle's ad states, "timing and price go hand in hand."
"I've got a specific buyer that's actually looking to do a couple of Quonsets and stuff like that," Caudle said of the unique deal he's looking to strike.
"It's almost a bit of goodwill, I would say."
The golf dome was supposed to close on April 30, but extended its season until Friday because of the rain and snow.
Dismantling of the structure will begin next week, but it's not as simple as puncturing the side and watching it deflate.
Crews will first start taking out the inner layers of the dome before moving to the outside next month. Then when the new material arrives, the same process will occur in reverse.
"Then we'll bring in a boom lift crane and the new facility gets stretched out, re-cabled and it comes back up again as a new facility," Caudle said.
Hosting slo-pitch games, private events and even the occasional Powwow, Caudle was sure to mention the golf is only going away for a brief period of time before it is resurrected with a shiny new surface and plenty more amenities inside.
There will be a new front entrance, added lighting for golfers, fixes to the flooring and an improved bar and hospitality area to give the entire building the update it’s been waiting for.
"A whole general refresh of the area so that it's not just the outside. You'll be coming into an experience inside that also would seem new and refreshed as well," Caudle said.
The new and improved golf dome is set to reopen in September and retake its place as a fixture in Saskatoon's skyline.
"It's a unique facility for sure. It's been around and it's well known. When you're flying over the city, it's definitely a bubble that you see."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Impaired driver sentenced to 7 years after double-fatal Cambridge crash
A man who killed two people in a drunk driving crash was sentenced Friday to seven years behind bars.
Online obituary business from Quebec City catching flak for posting unauthorized death notices
Some within the funeral home and mortuary services industries in Quebec say they are frustrated with an online obituary site that publishes death notices from public information posted on the internet. They claim the site is doing so without consent from the families.
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
The latest advice for expecting parents? Sign up for child care as soon as you're pregnant
Canada's new $10-a-day child care program is expanding, but there's growing evidence that demand for the program is rising even faster, leaving many parents on the outside looking in.