MP takes swing at golf club proposal
One of the North Island’s only community golf courses could be slashed in half as Wellington City Council looks to save money.
The council-owned Mornington Golf Club, in the southern suburb of Berhampore, looks set to shrink to nine holes as its usage declines. Players will also have to pay an extra $5 for each truncated round.
The 100-year-old course is a casualty of the city’s draft LongTerm Plan, which was discussed behind closed doors yesterday, despite opposition from councillors, ahead of a public meeting today.
The proposal has angered golf course users, as well as local MP Paul Eagle, who has vowed to take up the issue.
Mornington Golf Club president Vince Burke said he was ‘‘extremely unhappy’’.
‘‘We are the only accessible club in the North Island ... We provide a very valuable community service. This is an asset ... they will regret this in 10 years.’’
Eagle, the Labour MP for Rongotai and former Wellington deputy mayor, was also bitterly disappointed. ‘‘There have been many studies to convince councillors to close the course, and each have been jacked up. I’ve barely left the council and it’s back on the chopping board again.’’
The golf course proposal is among a raft of fee increases in the plan for sports fields, residential coupon parking and burials, which look set to be implemented from July 1.
City council parks, sport and recreation manager Paul Andrews said demand for playing golf at Mornington had continued to significantly decline. ‘‘A lot of people don’t play the full 18 holes and only play on the western side.’’
The council installed counters on the course nine months ago, and that data supported reducing the course in size, he said.
The counters showed the average daily usage in November was 22 people. In January, it was 25, and last month it was 24.
If the proposal went ahead, the course could not be used for housing because it was Town Belt land so it would be kept as open space, Andrews said.
‘‘I’m sure we will get other people who have ideas with an interest for how this space might be used in the future ... there are a number of opportunities that we will engage with the community about.’’
Burke said he was surprised by the proposal because the council had recently funded an independent feasibility study for the club and the draft report was positive.
‘‘The council’s concerns could not be further from the truth. We think this club has a brighter future. It is a vibrant, multisport venue, which hosts big tournaments on a regular basis, such as the Special Olympics next week.’’
The idea to save money was pathetic because the council would still have to maintain the land, he said.
James Bell, who uses the Berhampore course, said it was a terrible proposal. ‘‘This is the only public course in the Wellington area. We all can’t afford to play on the Miramar Links course.’’
Other proposed fee rises include increasing residential monthly coupon parking from $120 to $135, and daily parking from $7.50 to $8.50. A 12-month residential permit would increase from $115 to $126.50.
Fees for burial and crematorium could increase by $4. Meanwhile, an adult plot at Makara Cemetery could rise by $50 to $985.