Boating Club Building To Be Moved

By John Freer

Mercury Bay Boating Club has given up trying to protect its clubhouse from the advancing sea, instead it will go ahead and work to move the building.

Club Commodore, Jonathane Kline, confirmed the decision with CFM yesterday after the club had failed in an attempt to place concrete blocks in front of the clubhouse to arrest the threat of erosion.

Kline had said he was extremely worried about the club building and the future of the club’s activities.

The building has been under threat from Buffalo Beach foreshore erosion, but Jonathane said with the current storms, the process associated with the erosion was “getting away on them”.

“I am very concerned with this situation. The building is now within three or four metres of the edge of the bank.

“The bank face is being chewed away,” said the club commodore.

He said discussions were held with both Thames Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council representatives, but no solution could be found to enable placing the concrete blocks without the club risking potential legal action.

The aim was to endeavour to find a short-term solution. Now he said the club will proceed with plans to relocate the building further back on the site. The clubhouse was built on the site 56 years ago.

The club was formed in 1948 and in 1988 became the first New Zealand yacht club to challenge for the America’s Cup.

You can hear the full interview with Jonathane by clicking the link below.