Ratepayers may pay for ‘huge cock-up’
A premier Auckland rowing club has been breaking the rules by hosting sporting events at its clubrooms.
The West End Rowing Club in Auckland was built over an esplanade reserve where recreational activities, such as rowing, were not permitted. It took Auckland Council 14 years to discover the mistake – and ratepayers may have to pay for the fix.
A West End Rowing Club representative said the council made a ‘‘huge cock-up’’, but declined to comment further and referred to it as a council matter.
The rowing club was one of the largest in the country and its members include gold medallist Mahe Drysdale.
In 2003, the former Auckland City Council granted the club a 15-year community lease to occupy a portion of Saunders Reserve, Avondale.
But a leaked council document showed a small part of the clubrooms and carpark were built over an esplanade reserve where recreational buildings and activities were banned.
Council stakeholder and land advisory head Kim O’Neill said a routine check led to the discovery. It was council practice to carry out a lease assessment a year prior to the lease-expiry to check for any issues.
O’Neill did not comment on the reasons for the 14-year oversight.
‘‘Unfortunately, the [Reserves] Act states that no recreational activity can be tolerated on an esplanade reserve’’
‘‘Unfortunately, the [Reserves] Act states that no recreational activity can be tolerated on an esplanade reserve.’’
Council was now considering a number of options, including redrawing the reserve boundary line around the clubrooms at an expected cost of $9085.
Alternatively, the council could revoke the 30-year-old reserve status of the entire 1 hectare reserve land.
This would cost $2110 for advertising and Department of Conservation fees. It would also require consultation with the local iwi and public.
O’Neill said Saunders Reserve did not contain any conservation values that the Reserves Act was designed to protect.
The Whau Local Board had been advised of the proposal and a workshop to discuss the matter was expected to be held on November 8. It was not known whether the council would cover all the costs of fixing the issue, or the rowing club would also contribute.