This once-beloved California municipal golf course went up in flames

STOCKTON, California — A fire burned at the shuttered Van Buskirk Golf Course in south Stockton Friday afternoon.

Around 2 p.m., local firefighters battled the grass fire near the Van Buskirk Community Center, across the street from Conway Homes.

Smoke plumes could be seen for miles — as far as Lathrop — as fire crews worked to get the blaze under control. It’s unclear how many acres the blaze has consumed.

The former municipal golf course, which was closed four years ago, is located between Houston Avenue and the levees of the San Joaquin River and French Camp Slough.

A grass fire previously burned the area in June 2022.

The golf course, a longtime staple in the south Stockton community, was open to the public for six decades before it closed in 2019. This classic Larry Norstrom design was built in 1960. The 214-acre property has sat behind a chain-link fence since the Van Buskirk family decided to give it to the city, provided it’s only used for recreation.

After years of planning and community meetings to discuss the reimagining of Van Buskirk Park, Stockton City Council approved a master plan for the property at the Jan. 24 meeting. The proposed layout includes a BMX track, disc golf, skate park, splash pad and community garden, as well as areas that can serve as potential flood control space.

City officials did not give an estimated completion date for the project.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.