Completion Date: 2003
Size: 208 acres
Client:
England Authority
Executive Director
Mr. John O Grafton
(318) 449-3504

The 208- acre Oak Wing Golf Course spawned from a base re-use master plan developed by the Air Force upon the closure of England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. The England Authority, the governing body for the closed air base property, has worked diligently since the closure of the base to establish a viable economic development area now complete with an international airport, a championship 18-hole golf course, college learning center, businesses, industry, and retirement housing.

In 1998 the England Authority hired Moore Planning Group, LLC (MPG) as the prime consultant to bring the golf course portion of the re-use master plan to life. Because of the sheer size and scope of the project, it was necessary to break the overall project down into several smaller parts. The first thing that had to be accomplished was the removal of existing facilities which no longer served a useful task, to allow for the new development of the golf course. The new work consisted of developing new and modifying existing infrastructure of the park to accommodate the new facility. Due to a restricted time schedule, several of the sub-projects were being constructed simultaneously. The sub-projects included building demolition, site demolition, site utilities and drainage, irrigation wells, golf course construction, landscaping, and construction of a new clubhouse.

The initial step of design was addressed in a team effort, not only by the design team and the England Economic and Industrial Development District, but also with all the governing agencies that would be required to monitor the project. The design and construction of the project followed strict guidelines because of the “brown field” condition that exist at England Airpark. Coordination and cooperation with the US Air Force, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, FAA, Army Corp of Engineers, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and other permitting organization were imperative to making the project successful.