Lincoln Golf Club officials have rubbished an idea the course could move from Boundary Rd to make way for sports fields.
Outgoing Springs Ward councillor Grant Miller raised the possibility during a council briefing on the Lincoln Sports and Recreation Hub.
He said the nine-hole course’s location should be considered when reviewing the future of Lincoln’s sporting and recreation facilities.
But the idea has been shot down by the golf club.
“Why would you want to shift this? It is right in the middle of the place and it is perfect. There would be a bloody uproar if this place went,” club administrator Mike Baker said.
Lincoln is one of four golf clubs in the district where the land is owned by the council – the others being Tai Tapu, Ellesmere and Weedons.
Miller said people should not shy away from the hard conversation.
“There’s a lot of green space in there that could be used for soccer fields and other things. It is a hard conversation, but it needs to be had,” he said.
“If you are talking about Selwyn sport and recreation into the future, these are the kind of things you have got to talk about. I’m not saying do it, just at least have a discussion.”
Baker said it finding another site for the course would be difficult.
“We have enough drainage problems now; if you go anywhere else, it is only going to get worse.”
The sports and recreation hub is developing a long-term vision for Lincoln Domain. But hub chair Barry Donaldson told the council briefing it wants to be involved in any discussions about sport and recreation facilities in Lincoln.
When asked by Selwyn Times about Miller’s idea, Donaldson said the golf club was not one of its partner organisations.
“We have not even considered what they have raised about the golf course yet,” he said.
The hub, which was formed last year, is aimed at helping clubs that use the domain work together for more funding and better facilities.
Its members are Lincoln cricket, rugby, netball, tennis, badminton, bowls, the men’s shed and scouts. Lincoln University, Lincoln High, Lincoln Primary, Ararira Springs, Selwyn Sports Trust, and Sport Canterbury are partners.
“We are not a governance body for them, we are an advocate for them,” Donaldson said.
He said there was a need for covered court areas and new shared-use clubrooms.
“All of the clubs in the area are either in need of major upgrades or replacements (of clubrooms) or they don’t have anything.”
