Golf Australia – August 2019

22 AUGUST 2019 |golfaustralia

NEWS

GOLFAUSTRALIA DEFENDS VICTORIA PARK

GOLF Australia has joined the fi ght to keep

Brisbane’s Victoria Park Golf Course open

after councillors announced plans to turn the

public course into parkland, which would

be more than double the size of the City

Botanic Gardens.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the

proposed 45-hectare public park would hope to

mirror some of the great parklands of the world.

“When you think of some of the great

parklands across the globe, Central Park in New

York City, Lumpini Park in Bangkok and Hyde

Park in London come to mind for their hundreds

of trees, free attractions and for offering people

a green sanctuary within a busy capital city,”

Schrinner told the Brisbane Times.

“About 26 hectares of this council land

is currently used as a pay and play public

golf course, which over recent years has seen

a decline in patronage and a reduction

in revenue.”

In response, CEO Stephen Pitt said Golf

Australia would be meeting with Brisbane City

Council and expects to be involved in all future

discussions about Victoria Park.

“ThedecisiontopermanentlycloseVictoria

Park,a golfcoursethathasbeena popular

recreation facility for 90 years, is highly alarming

and we are desperate to ensure an alternative

to this plan is reached,” Pitt said.

“We look forward to an open-minded

discussion with the Brisbane City Council to

fi nd a solution that provides open space for

golfers and all members of the public.”

Similar plans for Melbourne’s Albert Park Golf

Course – which Parks Victoria hoped to reduce

to nine holes – were abandoned last year after

outrage from the local community.

“Public golf courses are so important to our

game right across the country ... They give

Australians everywhere the opportunity to pick

up a club and be active,” Pitt said.

“Golf is a game enjoyed by millions of

Australians every year and every golfer at some

stage in their life has made the most of a public

facility in their local area.”

Members of the public have already

established an online petition protesting

the council’s plans for Victoria Park. Those

interested can add their name to the list by

visiting http://www.change.org and searching for

“Victoria Park Golf Course”.

PHOTO:

GETTY IMAGES

“THE DECISION TO

PERMANENTLY CLOSE

VICTORIA PARK, A

GOLF COURSE THAT

HAS BEEN A POPULAR

RECREATION FACILITY

FOR 90 YEARS, IS

HIGHLY ALARMING...”

• STEPHEN PITT

THE

19TH

HOLE

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian

Schrinner (left) has proposed

replacing Victoria Park with

public parklands.