Located in Avondale, the 106-acre Loch Nairn Golf Club will become a public park, part of a deal that has been years in the making, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Smedley family, which opened Loch Nairn in 1979, sold it to New Garden Township for $1.42 million. However, the Smedleys will keep running their restaurant, the Farmhouse, on the land.

“It’s the family’s sincere hope that the community will be able to continue to enjoy the property’s beauty and tranquillity in its new form as a community park,” said Chris Smedley. “Loch Nairn was a huge part of our lives. We look forward to this new chapter and will have a continued presence at our restaurant.”

Natural Lands will be a part of the conservation process to help craft a plan for the course to be a “passive-recreation park.” This means there will be no playing fields because it will be a space for walking, biking, and running. They plan to add native trees along the tributary of White Clay Creek that flows through the land.

Had the Smedleys not sold the golf course to the township, it could have paved way for development.

The park will formally open in 2024.

Read more about Loch Nairn Golf Club in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Loch Nairn Golf Club’s Austin Barbin captures the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 2019 Junior Boys Championship.