Lakeview Golf Club restores old classroom into temporary clubhouse

Members celebrated the official opening and blessing of the new temporary clubhouse. Photo / Supplied

An old classroom has been restored and will now be used as Lakeview Golf Club's temporary clubhouse after a fire destroyed the building just five months ago.

Club members watched their beloved clubhouse and 50 years of history burn to the ground in February

The building was href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=12308825" target="_blank">completely destroyed in the fire along with honours boards full of names of past members, trophies and decades of memories.

Now, five months on and after a Covid-19 pandemic and country-wide lockdown, the club has a temporary facility to use for the rest of winter.

Members gathered for a blessing on Saturday to officially open the new temporary clubhouse.

Lakeview Golf Club clubrooms were destroyed by fire in February. Photo / File

Club president Alan Deverson said the club had been left "hamstrung" after the fire and the Covid-19 lockdown.

But, he said, the club's members had been supportive and "very patient" waiting for a temporary facility to be built.

Deverson said the club managed to buy an old classroom that they have refurbished with a new kitchen, bar and storeroom.

He said the newly-refurbished classroom will be used as a temporary clubhouse until they could build something more permanent.

"It is very important to the club to have a temporary facility," he said. "It is one of the most important parts of golf - the social aspect."

Deverson said they had been working with an architect to design a new more permanent clubhouse and a proposed sketch will be presented to the members in the next month.

"Most of the members have agreed they want it up the top of the carpark where we have tremendous views."

During July and August, the club will be donating a portion of its green fees to the Stroke Foundation of NZ as a way of giving back.

Firefighters work to dampen a blaze that destroyed Lakeview Golf Club clubrooms in February. Photo / File

"We experienced some misfortune and we thought it was a worthy cause," Deverson said.

Club administrator Sue Falconer said it was amazing the club had come this far since the fire and now had a facility to use during the winter.

"We have an amazing team who all have that can-do attitude," she said.

"We have had a fire and a pandemic thrown at us but no that is not going to stop us. It is also exciting that we have a blank canvas for the new clubhouse."

The temporary clubhouse. Photo / Supplied

Members celebrated the official opening and blessing of the new temporary clubhouse. Photo / Supplied