18 holes to stay at Berhampore
The budget blowout ratepayers coughed up for at the Wellington Phoenix training ground would have been enough to fund the neighbouring Berhampore golf course’s back nine for years.
Wellington City Council’s draft Long-Term Plan had suggested cutting the golf course from 18 to nine holes. On Monday, it was discovered the council had installed spy cameras on the course to help it ‘‘make decisions’’ on the site’s future.
Both council staff and councillors have now said the golf course will stay as is, with the cost to ratepayers estimated to be $60,000 per year.
Neighbouring the 15th hole is the revamped Martin Luckie Park, which ratepayers chipped in $800,000 – $250,000 more than councillors voted for – to convert it into a fenced football training ground for the Phoenix.
The budget blowout was due to contamination issues at Martin Luckie Park, which was formerly used as a rubbish dump.
On comparing the spend between the community golf course and neighbouring football field, council spokesman Richard MacLean said relatively few people played at the Berhampore course.
The council has estimated that losing its back nine would save it $60,000 per year, but MacLean said the actual annual cost of running the entire 18-hole course was close to $200,000.
Both MacLean and city councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who holds the recreation portfolio, yesterday said there were no current plans to reduce Berhampore golf course from 18 to nine holes.
Fitzsimons said the course was set up for working-class people and was ‘‘really important’’ for golf in Wellington.
Mornington Golf Club president Vince Burke, whose club is based at the course, was pleased to hear the 18 holes would remain.
‘‘We have got security for the immediate future and we can develop an appropriate marketing strategy with the council to grow the course and the club.’’