Concrete slab poured for new Waimairi Beach Golf Club
Well-loved Waimairi Beach Golf Club in Christchurch moved a step closer to becoming fully open again when the concrete slab was poured late last week for its new clubhouse. A team of builders from Christchurch-based construction company Amalgamated Builders (ABL) has carried out earthworks over the last few weeks and the concrete pour marks an important milestone for the club which has waited over two years for this moment. The golf club, located in the sunny seaside town of New Brighton, has already spent $1.7 million rebuilding its golf course after liquefaction destroyed 16 of its 18 holes in the earthquakes. Following major reconstruction, the club reopened its 18-hole course on May 1 this year, after being postponed three times due to continued earthquake damage from subsequent quakes. The clubhouse and implement shed were also badly damaged in the February 2011 quake and were originally expected to be rebuilt in time for the May opening. However consent was only granted in June 2013 following extensive media coverage on the Club’s plight. Club manager John Herdman said it had been a "frustrating period of time" but there was now a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. "It’s great to finally see work actually taking place on the clubhouse site," said Mr Herdman. "The ABL team has been great and left no stone unturned in getting things moving. "We’re all excited to see the finished result and get back to normal play, and members are really looking forward to being able to have a post-round beer and chat at ‘the 19th’ at the new clubhouse." The quake-damaged former clubhouse building was demolished yesterday (Wednesday 2 October) and the new one will open by the end of February 2014. The new Clubhouse has been designed by well-known architects Opus Architecture in their Christchurch studio. The building form consists of two wings located under a simple low-pitched, hipped roof with wide eaves giving the appearance of a flat roofed pavilion. It covers approximately 512m2 and is located towards the centre of the golf course site providing a focal point for players starting and finishing their round of golf. The interior is designed to accommodate the needs of the golf club patrons and club staff with a large clubroom / bar area, change facilities as well as a pro shop and meeting room. ABL Christchurch Manager Peter Corkery said the team was happy to help get the well-loved golf club back up and running again for its 1,200 or so members. "It’s been a long process to get this point but we’re now going full steam ahead to get the clubhouse finished by February," said Mr Corkery. "A clubhouse is the heart and soul of any golf club and the members at Waimairi have had a number of setbacks in the last few years. We’re happy to help and are pleased we’re now seeing some good solid progress. "It’s a great example of a community club that has a heart, life and soul. By giving it a new lease of life, we’re helping to pull people and a community back together."
