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Around 150 people, the vast majority from Gulf Harbour, attended a meeting on August 15 to hear from the lobby group Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces (KWGS), councillors and local board members about progress in keeping the country club as a golf course.
The country club was closed by its owner Long River Investments a year ago and the site largely abandoned. Vandalism and arson followed, with Auckland Council stepping in to demolish the unsafe buildings.
KWGS spokesperson Howard Baldwin told the meeting that last month’s letter to Long River Investments by council chief executive Phil Wilson (HM July 29), which supported the 999-year encumbrance protecting the land as a golf course, was a great step forward.
“However, we are not there yet,” he said.
KWGS legal adviser, Chris Geyde said the organisation is working on a number of fronts, including asking council to commence injunction proceedings against the owner on the basis that closing the course is a breach of the encumbrance. They are also attempting to liquidate another company, GHCC 2016 (director Wayne Bailey) which ran operations at the club and, KWGS says, owes former staff and members more than $100,000.
Councillors Wayne Walker and John Watson stated their support for KWGS campaign.
