Ratepayers may fund pricey grandstand project
The Golden Bay grandstand is to be reinstated, with ratepayers on the hook for the estimated $930,000 cost.
A majority of Tasman District councillors agreed to the move on Thursday at an extraordinary council meeting.
It is the latest twist in a longrunning dispute over the future of the historic grandstand, which sits next to the Golden Bay Recreation Park Centre in Takaka.
It was to have been demolished as part of the development of the rec centre, which opened in 2017. However, a fight to retain the grandstand – including protests and court proceedings, along with a council about-turn – has stopped the wrecking ball from swinging into the structure, which dates from 1898-99.
The council’s agreement to reinstate the grandstand for public use – to begin within three years – is conditional on the council obtaining all necessary consents, and on the discontinuance of High Court proceedings brought by the Golden Bay Grand Stand Community Trust and the Golden Bay A&P Association no later than May 30.
‘‘It’s fair to say that council officers and elected members agree that we need to try to bring an end to the long-standing dispute, which continues to impact Golden Bay and damage the working relationship between council and community,’’ council chief executive Janine Dowding told councillors before the vote.
Some members of the Golden Bay Community Board and the grandstand trust, along with A&P association vice-president Noel Baigent, also spoke before the vote, urging the councillors to agree to the reinstatement proposal.
Community board deputy chairman Grant Knowles said the grandstand was one of the issues that had dominated public forum and board discussions since he was elected in November 2016. ‘‘By far, the majority of people in the public forum speak mostly in favour of retaining it.’’
The dispute had created damage in the community and polarised people, and had ‘‘not done TDC’s reputation in Golden Bay much good’’, he said.
Baigent, whose family has a long history with the A&P show, said the association had shown much goodwill, giving land and a cash donation for the new rec centre.
‘‘We are not villains here – we have given a lot,’’ he said. ‘‘Let’s get this grandstand back in use.’’
Golden Bay ward councillor Chris Hill moved the resolution, saying the issue had been a ‘‘fraught process at times’’.
The estimated reinstatement cost was ‘‘a lot of money’’, but Hill said she would work to bring together a group of people to help generate some funds.
Fellow Golden Bay ward councillor Celia Butler seconded the resolution, saying it was about the heritage of people, buildings and the Bay.
Almost all of the other councillors supported the proposal but there was concern about the cost.
Councillor Christeen Mackenzie said that while she would vote for the resolution, ‘‘where those costs eventually lie is unclear’’.
Community development manager Susan Edwards said the Long
Term Plan 2021-31 process was the place to determine how the reinstatement would be funded, ‘‘whether that will be general ratefunded, district facilities ratefunded, targeted rate or a combination’’.
Councillor Dana Wensley said the council had ‘‘debt cap issues’’ a cost overrun for the Waimea dam project, and no senior centre in Richmond. She was hesitant to support the reinstatement without a deed of understanding that no more legal action would be taken.
Councillor Dean McNamara was also concerned about the cost, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Even if the funding was raised via a targeted rate, ‘‘I’m not sure that the Bay would be in a position to pay it . . . if this virus has the impact that it’s having overseas’’, he said.
Tasman mayor Tim King said he believed he had a ‘‘pretty good grasp of the challenges that we’re confronting as a council and a country’’ over the spread of the virus. ‘‘I am equally confident we will come through that and we will have continue to operate as a community, and probably in the future, in 18 months, two years, three years from now, community is going to be crucially important.’’