Ashhurst building saved – for now
The last remaining link with Ashhurst’s horse racing past may have been saved by a nose.
The former Ashhurstpohangina Racing Club jockey changing rooms, which date back to the 1920s, were home to Ashhurst Domain’s Wetlands Cafe, which closed at the end of 2016.
When the Palmerston North City Council’s lease on the land expired in March this year, the future of the privately–owned building looked uncertain.
Concerned residents feared it was the subject of a removal order by the council and would be lost to the community.
Following the expiry of the lease, the council tried to contact owners Craig Sowry and Lori Teddy by email, but got no reply. So, the locks were changed.
Council parks and property manager John Brenkley said it was assumed they had abandoned the business and so they began the process of terminating the lease.
Brenkely said usually when businesses closed or changed hands, the council would either negotiate a new lease with the new building owner, the owner would offer the building to the council, or the owner would remove the building from the site.
He said the locks were changed because there was equipment in the building.
‘‘Under terms of the lease, anything left behind [after 20 days] reverts to the ownership of the council.’’
Sowry said he and Teddy were forced to quit the business due to health issues. Unable to find a suitable buyer for the cafe, they had offered the building to the council, but it was rejected.
Due to a series of events, including a hacked computer, Sowry said
‘‘Under terms of the lease, anything left behind [after 20 days] reverts to the ownership of the council.’’ John Brenkley, council parks and property manager
they didn’t receive or see the council emails, but admitted ‘‘we dropped the ball there’’.
‘‘Up to that time, we had a very good relationship with the council.’’
He was pleased the council had done an about-face and had a valuation done on the building, which he found out about on Monday.
Ashhurst resident Heather Thomson said a meeting that attracted about 20 people was held at the cafe on Sunday to come up with ideas for how the building could be used for the benefit of locals and visitors.
‘‘It would be a massive shame to see this building disappear from the area because of miscommunication or stubborn
unwillingness to go back to the drawing board,’’ Thomson said.
Brenkley said the lease termination process had been reset, and the owners given a further 20 working days to make arrangements for the business and the building.
‘‘They have offered the building to us and we are in the process of conducting our own valuation... and if we can come to a reasonable price, we’ll put a report in to council to buy it.’’
Teddy, who was at the site this week removing chattels, said she didn’t have any notification in writing about the council’s intentions, and they were still making preparations to have the building moved.
‘‘As far as I know, by July 25 [the building’s] got to be gone. We’re fearing for the worst, but hoping for the best.’’