Taking back Turkey Creek

Developer wants other locals to revive golf course, initiate recovery

ALACHUA – A tee shot straight down the middle of the fairway will still put you in the rough at the Turkey Creek Golf Course in Alachua.

The once proud golf course community has seen their course of lush greens turn into a much thicker, unplayable course of lush untamed foliage since the closing of the golf course more than three years ago.

The gated community of 1,000 homes on U.S. Highway 441 has watched property values plummet over the last several years and some residents are fed up. One resident in particular said he has had enough and plans to lead the community in an effort to revitalize the property.

John Tingue is the man with the plan. A retired father of six and grandfather of 10, Tingue has been a resident of the Turkey Creek Community since 1997 and said he is ready to take a stand with the help of fellow Turkey Creek resident Forest Hope.

“We’re a wounded, but we’re not a defeated community,” Tingue said.

Tingue’s group, the Turkey Creek Member’s Club (TCMC), hosted five invitation-only meetings with the Turkey Creek Master Owner’s Association, the Alachua City Commission and the Alachua County Commission about its plan to restore Turkey Creek. The TCMC now plans to host a community meeting at 7 p.m. on July 29 at Cavalry Baptist Church located at 13920 NW U.S. Highway 441 in Alachua to discuss the plan with the Turkey Creek community as well as other interested parties.

“We have a whole new concept, a whole new plan for our community,” Tingue said. “We’re hungry for recovery.”

If the plan comes to fruition, Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club will acquire the property by Oct. 1, 2014, become the Turkey Creek Members Club and have a grand opening by June 2015.

“It’s less about the product and more about the people,” Tingue said.

In the presentation, Tingue shows the property value of two homes inside the community built in 2009: one for $305,000 and the other for $448,000. Over the last five years, the home’s values have dropped by $56,000 and $99,000, or 18 percent and 22 percent respectively.

One misconception Tingue wants cleared up is that Turkey Creek may be gated, but it is not a private community and the rejuvenation of the community will benefit more than just those living within the gates.

“There’s a lot of people today that want to have a facility to bring their families and friends to dine, to play golf, to go to the pool, play tennis,” Tingue said. “So outside of our community […] there was a huge interest [in the Turkey Creek Community].”

The TCMC has set up a website, FixUsFirst.org, for those interested in learning more about the plan or interested in becoming members.

“Whether it’s somebody that just wants to volunteer from $15 a month to somebody that wants to be a financial partner, which we’re seeking 10 of, which is $200,000,” Tingue said.

Alachua City Commissioner Ben Boukari, Jr., said that the City of Alachua will try to help the TCMC any way it can to get Turkey Creek back to where it needs to be.

“We’ve got to look at ways to see how we can help them,” Boukari said. “We’ve just got to be creative and look for ways to support them.”

Boukari, who has seen the TCMC presentation, said he likes the plan Tingue and Hope have in place for the future of Turkey Creek.

“I think it’s fantastic, I think it’s exciting, […] I spoke to Forest Hope several weeks ago and John Tingue and they were just saying ‘you know, look, we can’t wait for someone to come buy this course. We can’t let it go any further or any longer just sitting there, we’ve got to do something ourselves,’” Boukari said. “I think it’s a great plan and you know I’ve been around that golf course, I worked there back when I was in high school.”

Boukari also acknowledged that the success of Turkey Creek could have a large impact on the rest of Alachua.

“They’re 33 percent of our population, they’re part of our community, they make up our community,” Boukari said. “They’re our school teachers, and our students, and our shoppers, our business owners. Turkey Creek is Alachua.”

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