New Longshore Golf House Will Replace Concession Trailer

Golfers at  will soon have a new place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy a refreshment at the ninth hole after the small trailer serving as a concession stand, which temporarily replaced the Halfway House that burned in 2003, is replaced.

The local volunteer task force, The 9th & ½ Hole Committee, has reached its fund-raising goals for the replacement of the Halfway House at Longshore Club Park and that construction will commence this spring, according to Parks and Recreation Director .

It will be located about 50 feet from the site of the current structure and about 100 feet from the green, at the site of an old barn that was recently removed from the property.

“We thank the many members of the community who stepped forward with cash contributions, pledges and offers of in-kind materials and services,” said Mark Holod, head of the fundraising effort, which raised $200,000 over the past year.

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“We received a tremendous amount of support from the three golf associations active at Longshore. But we couldn’t have gotten this done without the generosity of the private donors who supported this project in honor of Cliff Ross, our friend, fellow golfer and community leader.”

Situated on the site of the old Farmhouse, the Halfway House will feature a small kitchen providing burgers, sandwiches, snacks and beverages, an enclosed porch for dining and shelter from inclement weather and new, fully accessible restrooms. 

The 750-square-foot. farmhouse-style structure will be dedicated to Cliff Ross, an avid golfer and longtime member of the Golf Advisory Committee who lost a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer two years ago.

Construction of the new Halfway House is expected to take two to three months and to open for business in June.

At completion, the Halfway House will be “given” to the town, which will then manage its operations. Joey Romeo, current concessionaire for the trailer that has served as the temporary Halfway House, as well as for the Longshore Pavilion and Compo Beach food-service operations, will staff and operate the new Halfway House.

The 9th & ½ Hole Committee was assisted in their fund-raising efforts by the Friends of Westport’s Parks & Recreation nonprofit group. Established as a not-for-profit organization, the Friends of Parks & Recreation group seeks to supplement public efforts to build and improve opportunities for public recreational facilities in the Town of Westport. The Friends’ website, westportfriendsofparksrec.com, served as an online resource for information and tax-deductible contributions.

“Donations continue to be welcome, and all contributors to the project will be publicly acknowledged at the opening ceremony in June,” said McCarthy.

“A new Halfway House is long overdue and will not only enhance the golf experience at Longshore but will also serve a great example of the public good that can come from private enterprise,” he said.