Black spray paint is scrawled over walls and sunshades, broken glass and fast food wrappers are littered over the concrete and some windows have been smashed.
This is the current state of Gate Pa Bowling Club.
Since the club shut its doors in May last year, it had become aregular target for vandals.
Tauranga City Council took over management of the site on May 31 and was waiting for approval to demolish the building so the land could be converted into green space.
Gary Willis, secretary of the neighbouring Gate Pa Tennis club, was disappointed to hear of the future of the site.
Gary Willis from the Gate Pa Tennis Club is disappointed the site will be turned into a green space. Photo/ Andrew Warner
On a number of occasions Willis had expressed to the council that the tennis club would like to be considered to take over the lease to expand into a larger sporting facility.
Willis said with Tauranga's growing population there was a need for an all-weather multisport facility and he would have liked to see a roofed tennis court installed on the site.
"It's a real shame. I'm utterly disappointed they [the council] haven't approached us."
Willis said he had "most definitely" seen homeless people on the bowling club grounds but there was no proof they were to blame for the vandalism.
"They don't cause us any trouble and keep to themselves," he said.
"There have been times when a tennis ball goes over the hedge and it just comes straight back."
Mark Smith, Tauranga City Council's parks and recreation manager, said it would cost $115,000 to demolish, dispose of waste and return the site to green space.
He said council staff and contractors were the only people who had access to the site and it was not left unlocked, however, the building was "vandalised regularly".
The council had received no complaints about the site since it took over management and no specific security arrangements were in place for the area.
Mary and Peter Smale were lifetime members of Gate Pa Bowling Club and were involved with the club for more than 30 years.
Hearing the current state the club grounds were in was "absolutely heartbreaking" for Mary.
The building will be demolished in the next financial year. Photo/ John Borren
"We really looked after the place and Peter would make sure the grounds and hedges were kept tidy," she said.
Mary said she would have liked to see the building used to accommodate the homeless community or to exhibit artefacts from the Battle of Gate Pa.
Tania Lewis-Rickard, from Kai Aroha, said she was disappointed to hear the clubrooms would be demolished and believed the building could be better utilised.
Lewis-Rickard said, "in an ideal world" she would like to see the building used to help the struggling members of the community.
