Penfield residents criticize town for neglecting historic buildings at former golf course

PENFIELD, N.Y. — People spoke at the Penfield Town Board meeting on Wednesday about plans to turn one of the buildings at the former Shadow Pines Golf Course into a lodge for events.

The town bought the Shadow Pines property in 2018 after a public referendum. The golf course closed in 2016 and the town turned the area into a public recreation space. Since then, Penfield officials have been evaluating what to do with two historic buildings, the Clark House and the Clark Road Barn.

At the meeting, town officials presented their plan to rehabilitate the Clark House into an event-hosting space. People from Penfield shared their thoughts with many accusing the town of neglecting the barn.

One speaker: “In 2018 when the town acquired the Clark House Barn, it became a custodian of an important heirloom that belongs to the present and future generations of Penfield. So it has a moral obligation to look after it.”

Another speaker: “It’s been really discouraging to know that nothing has been done about the Clark House and the barn since then, so it really has been neglected.”

Another speaker: “This is what we bought. This is what we own and we didn’t do anything and I think we missed the opportunity.”

Town officials estimate plans to replicate or rehab the property will cost more than $3.7 million.