Fear not, hungry golfers – the Eagle Creek pub is under renovation, with plans to become a family-friendly restaurant.
After years of low profits and tight budgets, the beloved Burnaby Mountain watering hole closed its doors last month, to the chagrin of many locals and frequent golfers. But after consulting with a marketing firm, the city has decided to upgrade the kitchen and turn it into a neighbourhood restaurant.
“When you look at the market there, if you lived in that vicinity, you have to go quite some distance to find a family restaurant,” said David O’Connor, manager of golf operations with the city. “It appeals to the neighbourhood and North Burnaby as a whole. It gives another strong amenity to the community.”
On Monday night, Burnaby city council approved the use of $250,000 from interest on the city’s gaming fund for upgrades and repairs to the site, as well as equipment and furniture.
“We’ve been in a process with some other budgets that were available by upgrading the kitchen and some deficiencies in equipment and repairs,” said O’Connor. “The banquet area is an area we’ll be concentrating on with carpeting and new lighting.”
Georgia Wagner, a regular of the golf course who petitioned in May to keep the pub open after she heard it was closing, said she is looking forward to the reopening, despite her apprehension over the ongoing renovations.
“I’m not sure why you’d have to reno something that was so quaint,” she said. “All us old folk out there, we just loved it the way it was. But times are changing.
“We’ll certainly give it a shot – it could be wonderful, and we’re sure hoping it is.”
By modernizing the site and making it an all-ages facility, O’Connor said the city aims to offer “more options to more people” while keeping the menus and promotions consistent with dining options at other Burnaby golf courses. He noted the restaurant and bistro will likely be renamed Mulligan’s and Mulligan’s Express, to fall in line with the Riverway restaurant of the same name.
“Now it’s the beautification portion,” said O’Connor. “Everybody’s looking forward to the grand opening in early July.”
