Community opposes tennis court sale

Ratepayers and former councillors have labelled the controversial decision to sell Feilding’s tennis courts ‘‘short sighted’’ and ‘‘antisport’’.

Despite five submissions opposing the sale of four community asphalt courts, Manawatu District councillors voted on July 20 to sell them, leaving the town’s tennis clubs in the lurch.

Councillors Steve Bielski, Andrew Quarrie and Alison Short voted against the sale, however, the council is set to negotiate a contract for the land with an anonymous developer this month.

A Neighbourly poll by the Feilding-rangitikei Herald showed 58 per cent felt the courts were a valuable asset and 41 per cent agreed with the council selling to repay debt.

The council drew heavy criticism from former deputy mayor Tony Jensen, who, in a Feildingrangitikei Herald Facebook post, said he was ‘‘very disappointed’’.

‘‘I’m afraid this council is antisport,’’ he said. ‘‘They have taken rates rebates off several clubs and now this.

‘‘It’s a great sight when all those courts are operating.’’

Jensen lost his seat to Michael Ford in October, however, he was part of the council that set the 2015-2025 Long-term Plan that earmarked the courts as one of the council’s disposable assets.

Wayne Brooks came to the council’s defence, saying this was the council the majority voted for.

‘‘How else, voters, did you think council would reduce debt?’’

Resident Alison Mudgway said a council should install amenities for the community, not take them away.

‘‘This council should be about the overall picture for the people in the community and not just about saying ‘see? We got your rates down’.’’

Ford said if the council had reversed the previous decision, rates would increase to service debt.

He refuted Jensen’s claims, and said the current council was prosport and working with community sporting organisations to investigate the feasibility of a multi-sport centre for the district.

‘‘If demand for tennis courts increases, they could be incorporated into an existing park facility or into a new development.’’

The council had an agreement to use the Duke St courts and make them available to the public. However, Manawatu Tennis would still likely have to move representative tournaments to Palmerston North.