GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Shorewood Golf Course opened during the 1930s. But the time has come to turn the page by transforming the land to serve a new purpose. Kris Schuller has more on the tough decision to close the course.

At Shorewood Golf Course the sign says, course closed today. But after years of losing money, UW-Green Bay’s chancellor has decided it’s time to close for good.

“For years the course has been losing money, somewhere around $100,000 a year on an average year and we had to make hard decisions about this,” said Chancellor Michael Alexander.

So now, after 90 years as a golf course, this facility will soon transition into a student recreation and engagement center.

“We’ll be able to use the clubhouse as a student meeting space. We’ll take the disc golf course that’s very popular on campus and weirdly placed and be able to mix it into the natural area we have there that’s currently Shorewood,” said Alexander.

Alexander says the decision to make the change was indeed difficult. They did try to open up the course earlier this year, but they couldn’t hire a superintendent. The college next tried to hire a private firm to run it, but no one stepped forward. So, Alexander decided it was time to focus on serving students.

“It’s not our mission as a university to run a golf course. It’s our mission to make sure we’re educating students really, really, well,” said Alexander.

“I think it’s a change whose time has come, and I don’t think anyone was surprised,” said school alum Brian Nicol.

Nicol once worked at the course and played it often. And while he carries fond memories for the past, he too thinks it’s time to look to the future.

“While personally, selfishly, I might miss the golf course as an alum. But for future generations of alums, I’m excited to see what they’re going to do out here,” Nicol said.

“I’m not opposed to having a golf course on campus. But for us at this point in time it just didn’t make any sense,” said Alexander.

The course parking lot will also become the official entry point to the Cofrin Arboretum.