An unresolved issue with the Mount Maunganui Cricket and Hockey Society is threatening to ruin the construction of a new cricket pavilion at Blake Park.
Mount Maunganui Cricket and Hockey Society building soon to be demolished.
The BOP Cricket Trust has to begin construction this year or it will lose $1 million in TECT funding, and the Tauranga City Council won't let the trust start building until there is a memorandum of understanding signed with the society.
The society is being forced from its premises and into the new pavilion – a move the society's vice president Bill Webb says his group is opposed to.
Proposed ground plan for stage 1 of the new pavillion.
The issue was born in 2005 when the Tauranga City Council determined not to pay the society a previously agreed $270,000 compensation for the change of premises.
At a council meeting today, Councillor Tony Christiansen attacked the 2005 decision.
'We are taking away facilities from an organisation without any compensation for it,” says Tony.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said the decision was made 10 years ago and Councillor Bill Faulkner said it was common practice to put public toilets into private clubrooms.
Murray Guy says he couldn't remember which way he voted in 2005.
Ground plan for where new pavillion and oval will be sited. The soon to be demolished are located near the top of the fields.
When Tony asked what reason was given for the decision to demolish the current premises, ‘park clutter' was given as the reason.
'I know of no other reason,” says Bill.
Larry Baldock questioned why the society cannot continue to use its clubrooms until the new hockey turf is constructed.
The Mount Cricket and Hockey Society and the BOP Cricket Trust are going into arbitration to try and settle matters.
Councillors agreed that approval for construction of the new Blake Park pavilion will be withheld until the memorandum of understanding is achieved.
14 comments
Again
Posted on 21-06-2011 09:00 | By tabatha
Again we see our strapped cash Council pushing the sports clubs around. Yes there is a need for Public Toilets but there is a need for peaceful and satisfactory negotiation by our elected body, or is it the past CEO catching up yet again.They, the council have made a great outdoor facility at the Mount Club, formerly the Cossie club, but what about the vinyl floor on concrete for dancing on. No stage for a band, whose fault was that, the old club rooms floor, in need of a sanding, was far better and easier to dance on. Watch out other organisations that the council is trying to encroach on and make sure you cater for all your users.
TCC Control Freaks Strike Again
Posted on 21-06-2011 09:20 | By Openknee8ted
"Park Clutter" what a lame excuse. Come on YoYo council reverse another decision and let the old clubrooms stay. As long as you can get your photo taken at the new pavilion showing the world how you are developing the region who cares ... Name the new Pavilion the Stuart Crosby Visionary Stand and permission will be given by this afternoon.
Hasn't hockey had plenty of rates money
Posted on 21-06-2011 09:48 | By JSmithington
I seem to remember Hockey asking for a heap more money from Council for the facilities they got a heap of money for a few years ago. Or is that a different Hockey group? Council shouldn't be giving rates money to Hockey, Cricket or any other group. People should choose how they spend their sports or arts money themselves.
Council should pay for both
Posted on 21-06-2011 10:14 | By LatifahDedah
The council should simply use its own money to pay for all the improvements and maintenance at the Hockey pitch and club and at the Cricket field and clubhouse. Quite frankly both facilities should have spas so that player can unwind following a strenuous workout. My latte and arts appreciation group would love to add a new place to hold our weekly coffee mornings. We could have our long blacks at the hockey place and flat whites at the cricket. Absolutely super. We're planning to ask that nice Mr Cronin for Regional Council funding for our proposed sonnet reading room. It will attract investment and money from all over the world and make Tauranga a center of excellence. Don't be so mean Tauranga Council, use council money to pay for both these groups to have wonderul facilities. But don't increase the rates please.
So now theres 2 of us that gets it!
Posted on 21-06-2011 12:58 | By The Tomahawk Kid
@JSmithington: BRILLIANT! You get top marks in my books - BRAVO. At last somebody else understands the meaning of the words PROPERTY RIGHTS! So at last count that makes 2 of us! - quite some way before we get to make your immoral MAJORITY!
@ all commentators here...
Posted on 21-06-2011 13:34 | By SpeakUp
..."United we stand, divided we fall". You will be contacted by CMC. -Citizens Monitoring Council-
Council Money
Posted on 21-06-2011 15:50 | By tabatha
The only way Council money should be given to groups is when they are required, (forced) to move as in the case of Mount bowls etc.
@ TABATHA
Posted on 21-06-2011 19:24 | By YOGI
You are kidding me ... Mt Bowls were not "forced" into anything, what actually happened was that they were offered such an amazing setup all paid for Exgratis from the ratepayers they just could not say no! In fact the presentation of the Mt Greens deal was so sweet and smooth that they were falling over themselves to sign up that they forgot to read it properly, hence the end result stitched up deal now where they have figured that they also have to join the Cossie Club to then be allowed inside for drinkees ... they no longer have a bar to make money either. The ratepayer paid for it all at a cost of $33 million, the truth will get revealed one day and all will then realise the mess then that now rolls on.
oooo please forgive me Lord
Posted on 21-06-2011 23:09 | By Nigel Barker
for I know not how to control my absolute astonishment and sarcasm. At last .. *bows* we have TWO of the newbies coming out and saying something worth while in a public forum. Wonderful. Awesome. Be proud guys. Thats what "The People" voted you in for. Keep it up chaps. One still has an uncontrollable urge tho ... or is it a motion that needs to be passed. As they do in council!! One digresses. Yet again TCC should keep their noses out of such issues. WHY? Two reasons. 1) There are NO freebies in this trough. 2)Stick to your knitting. 3) Don't go where angels fear to tread. (DAM thats 3, maybe adequate performance to be a TCC employee lol) Another fiasco that will get appropriate attention from - Citizens Monitoring Council -
By all means shaft one another but leave TCC Ratepayers out of the equation
Posted on 22-06-2011 08:11 | By Hebegeebies
Get real people this whole thing was to a large degree Council driven to assist elitist BAY Cricketers who spend most of their day navel gazing.TCC ran the RMA consent application sanctioned the cricket development including grandiose clubrooms and facilities picket fencing and so on all at a huge cost to TCC ratepayers.It now seems TCC have not dotted 'Is & crossed Ts' so we have a bunfight between 2 greedies Cricket and Hockey.The existing clubrooms is in the same category as Mount Bowls old clubhouse and old Cossie Club why is TCC so intent on smashing down perfectly good buildings, I think its called demomania.Cricket can hardly complain about no compensation for old clubrooms wakey wakey Councillor Christiansen it was their choice to move with no compulsion by Council to do so.You have obviously caught spend ratepayers money disease take some medication for it mate.Oh and don't overlook the fact cash strapped TCC is giving the cricket turkeys $450k for goldplated toilets & amenities.
Nigel Barker and Hebegeebies
Posted on 23-06-2011 15:05 | By aegis
Have you ever considered running for Mayor? Or Council?
MT GREENS MK2
Posted on 24-06-2011 19:32 | By WOMBLE
Looks to me that this is a replica of that debt ridden mushroom at some $30 million and more. Surely the money supply is running out and these hair brain schemes will dry up soon!
It is a thinking game.
Posted on 25-06-2011 08:36 | By CONDOR
Mr.aegis -good thinking old chap. See the solutions are not that hard to come up with when you put your mind to it and apply yourself.Nice to see you have got your head space back into the sunlight.
@ aegis
Posted on 27-06-2011 17:27 | By Nigel Barker
Yes I have - often.Having spent a number of years working in senior management positions within Local Govt I believe I can achieve & be more effective on the outside. With out the very best support on the outside it is very easy to be consumed by the system. We are already experiencing this. Have you heard or seen from 'any' of the new councilors? I think they have been consumed, told to 'shut it', advised to do as your told or ..? We,"C.M.C." are well on the way to doing what needs to be done on the outside. Result - "Open Honest Governance For The Citizens of Tauranga City and surrounding areas" A big part is identifying, presenting & supporting suitable candidates for the not far away Local Government Elections.-Citizens Monitoring Council-
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.