Appreciation Dinner For Ocean View Volunteers
On Thursday, August 10, the Trustees of the Consolidated Golf Courses held an appreciation dinner reception for the members of the Ocean View Golf Club who recently volunteered their time and painted the Ocean View Clubhouse.
A spokesperson said, “Chairman of the Board the Kim Swan, Junior Minister of Youth, Sport & Culture presided over the event along with Acting Director of Finance, HR & Administration Jayson Jackson, the Golf Course Superintendent.”
Chairman Swan said, “It was important for us on behalf of the Bermuda Government Trustees for golf courses to recognize to contributions of the membership, not only for this significant volunteer effort, but also other recent and past events.”
The spokesperson said, “The date was significant because few know that Ocean View Course was opened by the Ocean View Members on August 10th, 1950, so this date to show appreciation to members and staff is symbolic, historical and educational.”
Chairman Swan said, “I’m intrigued with the history that is unfolding and pleased to be in possession of newspaper articles with dates from the Bermuda Recorder and Royal Gazette now revealing much that was unknown and concealed for decades.”
The spokesperson said, “Attending on the evening were Conrad Albouy [grandson of past President the late Stuart Albouy] and Cleve Tucker, who caddied as boys at Ocean View Golf Course in those early years in the early 1950s. The both recalled the golf course functioning west of Barkers Hill in those early days.”
Superintendent Jackson said, “My interest in Ocean View’s unique design was recently heightened with the compliments paid during a site visit by the PGA Tour’s architects. But listening to the stories from members who caddied there in the 1950s allows me to properly document Ocean View’s rich and unique history.
“We were able to gain viable insight from Mr. Albouy and Mr. Tucker regarding the original golf course layout that possessed double green complexes before the golf course expansion across Barker’s Hill. With limited resources provided, an antiquated tractor mounted gang mower mowed the fairway and rough areas and push mower the green complexes by only one person.”
The spokesperson said, “Also most notable in attendance were past Presidents Harrison Simons and Alan Lugo, who opened the gathering in prayer prior to our meal, Gary Venning, Ebony Burgess Cox, Darin Lewis, former Ocean View Golf Pros Dwayne Pearman and Keith Smith. In addition, Trustees Deputy Chairman Vincent Hollinsid together with LaMel Burch, Ianthia Butler, Dalton Burgess, and Quinton Ming Jr were in attendance.
“The occasion provided an opportunity to introduce Perry Thompson our Food & Beverage Operations Consultant and the team from the restaurant concession, Food Factory’s Raykeem DeShields, and the bar team led by Shayna.”
Chairman Swan said, “In his absence, I must offer credit to Dr Jeffrey Sammons, retired Professor of History at New York University, whose research papers, lectures, and documentary on Louis Rafael Kid Corbin has unearthed a great deal of history buried in the ashes of that fateful fire in December 1951.
“This reception provided an opportunity to experience the spirit of Ocean View as we celebrated the volunteer effort and that of our employees, most notably Ocean View staffer & golf club executive Ebony Burgess Cox, whose recent gold medal performance in the Island Games made Bermuda proud.”
