Chamberlain Park to keep its 18-hole golf course, small community park to be built

The Chamberlain Park Golf Course in Mt Albert is to retain its 18-hole course, and a small park is to be built. Photo / Dean Purcell

It was long shot, but an agreement has been reached: Chamberlain Park will keep its 18-hole golf course and a small community park is to be built on its western end.

Albert-Eden Local Board member Rachel Langton said the board will also restore the Meola Stream and ensure the park is opened up to cycle pathways and walkways.

"I think everybody is very grateful that a collaborated decision has been made," Langton said.

"This has been on people's minds for a very long time. It's been five years in the making and we've been through a very difficult election campaign period."

The decision was made on Monday evening, nearly a month after the newly elected board failed to resolve the issue at its inaugural meeting on October 29.

Earlier, City Vision and Communities and Residents (C&R) members were still working on settling their differences only hours before the meeting.

Voting results meant the new board had a 4-4 stalemate between the City Vision and C&R tickets, which each have entrenched and opposing views on the future of the Auckland Council-owned golf course.

But it appears the tide has turned.

"The members of the board have realised that it's just time for this division on the board to stop," Langton said.

She said the focus going forward was to ensure the community was listened to and both sides worked together.

"I feel like we've come to a great compromise and we're very excited to be working together with the board."

The left-leaning City Vision ticket has previously had a majority on the local board, and had drawn up a $30 million plan to reduce the 18-hole golf course to nine holes and use the extra land as a park with walking, cycling and sporting facilities.

The right-leaning C&R ticket campaigned at the recent local body elections to keep Chamberlain Park as an 18-hole golf course but improve public access.

Before last month's meeting, C&R offered to support City Vision's Margi Watson as the board chair on the condition the board withdraws the Chamberlain Park master plan and rescinds resolutions for its development.

City Vision rejected this, but offered up discussions as a full board and considered changes to come to a commonly agreed position.