Sports club eyes up land golfers use

Junior athletics in the Wakatipu area needs permanent facilities for their practice and events, claims sports club Remarkable Runners, which has requested land leased by the Frankton Golf Course.

The future use of the land is still undecided.

The Remarkables Runners has a specific division for junior athletics, and club president Hamish McCrostie said up to 130 children attended club nights.

"We really need proper, permanent athletics facilities for these children, both to support their training, and to attract more youngsters to this active lifestyle," Mr McCrostie said.

The club hosted its first junior athletics competition for Southland and Central Otago clubs at the Queenstown Events Centre last month, as part of the Waverley Shield series.

"If we had permanent facilities, we could attract many more events, to the benefit of both our young athletes and the community.

Many of our young talents are getting good results at regional and South Island-wide competitions, and the athletes deserve the same support as other sports groups.

"Our first aim is to get a permanent, grass, running course and permanent facilities for the jumping and throwing disciplines.

"Later on, we hope to raise funds for a rubber-sealed all-weather running track," Mr McCrostie said.

Lakes Leisure general manager facilities Cam Sheppard said he had been working with organisers to ensure seasonal facilities were made available at the sports grounds of the Queenstown Events Centre.

"An eight-lane running track was created for the event in February, and this track will remain painted up for the use of the club throughout the summer season.

We have had good discussions with the Remarkable Runners group, and are doing our best to accommodate the junior athletes," Mr Sheppard said.

A plot of land had been earmarked for permanent athletics facilities on a master plan for the Events Centre, created by the Queenstown Events Centre Trust before the council-controlled organisation Lakes Leisure took over the management of the events centre.

"Lakes Leisure inherited the plan, but we are now working within the council's Long Term Plan.

At this stage, nothing has been decided in regard to future athletics facilities or any other use of the land," Mr Sheppard said.

The land in question is used as the Frankton Golf Course, operated by Queenstown Golf Club.

The nine-hole golf course has been there since the 1930s, but the Queenstown Lakes District Council had informed the club it would not be renewing the lease when it expired in 2012.

The possible closure caused a stir locally, with the golf club starting a petition to save the course.

Queenstown Golf Club chief executive Michael Shattock said more than 3000 signatures were collected in support.

Queenstown Mayor Clive Geddes had previously told the Queenstown Times the council was in discussions with the New Zealand Transport Agency, Queenstown Airport Corporation and Lakes Leisure about uses for the land, and said it would be at least a year before plans were clear.

Mr McCrostie said there were already several golf courses in the region.