A recent post by northernwccwatch provoked quick responses pooh-pooh’ing everything about it.
The mayor moved shut debate down on Twitter, deploying her caps button, stating that there are better options elsewhere:
https://twitter.com/WellingtonMayor/status/663264782611447808
Meanwhile golf club president Raymond Tuffin responded via email with the statement below. Unsurprisingly he wasn’t impressed at the idea of re-assessing the golf course’s current arrangements.
I am writing in regard to the letter (edit: blog post) written re the 100th year centenary of the Berhampore Golf Course. The writer is so out of touch with not only the history of the golf course, but what the asset provides the community today.
The course was established in 1915 to provide the working class an opportunity to play golf, still very relevant today, it was also the birth place of ladies golf. The course is used by the community to walk, run, walk their pets, used to access to WCC walking tracks, sight seeing by tourists.
There is 1 golf course within 15 minutes drive, not the many the writer stated.
The golf club attached to the course has become a community centre for the Southern Ward, with local schools using the facility for their sports days, community group meetings, fundraising nights, aged concern. It has built a multi-sports facility that houses its very own parent and play centre, dance club, Special Olympics bocce & golf, First Tee Junior Values & Life Skills Programme, lawn bowls, indoor bowls, Tai Che.
The club has also supported special needs and disability kids by offering a range of activities.
The asset has been supported by the WCC and it is a facility that all rate payers should be proud of, it is a facility second to none around New Zealand.
It is disappointing that we have individuals publish incorrect and misleading information to the community and I challenge whoever wrote it to have the courtesy to come and see what we do for the community.
Both rebukes to a reasonable post and questions (by northernwccwatch’s usual standards :-)) is telling. What are they afraid of? He hardly demanded it to be burnt to the ground, concreted over, and replaced with a 8 lane flyover. Or completely flogging them off as David Farrar highlighted with Auckland Council’s Trump-like portfolio of 13 golf courses.
Wellington’s town belt is a wonderful asset. Most people living and visiting would agree and is being rightfully protected.
But I would bet most would also agree that it wouldn’t hurt looking into how a niche ratepayer-funded resource of this size could be leveraged (and not eliminated) to best meet the needs of Wellington of the next 100 years. For example:
https://twitter.com/rorymccourt/status/663253544582049796
Don’t hold your breathe.
WCC Watch 