Mike Head explains why people n Tauranga want a Mini Golf course.
The man who spent the past five years as the “caretaker” of a community-inspired mini golf course is now calling for support to help him in his quest to keep the legacy alive, albeit at a different location.
Mike Head runs Tauranga Mini Golf and Jeeps at Memorial Park and accepts there is no future for the course at the Tauranga City Council site.
The city council plans for the area do not include the golf course as it prepares to either refurbish or rebuild the park’s buildings and pools.
Earlier this week, the Bay of Plenty Timesrevealed serious seismic issues meant the neighbouring Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre was classified as a “high-risk” building needing significant remedial work.
Head has already been told his lease would not be renewed later this year but he was able to continue on a month-by-month basis afterwards.
While the mini golf was “not a million-dollar business”, there was plenty of demand from the community and that was who the course was originally built for, Head said.
The mini golf course was built in 1983 by members of the Tauranga Rotary Club for the community and was originally operated to raise funds for charity. In 2008, the popular attraction changed hands following the expiry of the original lease agreement between the club and the council.
Head took over five years ago and in that time has helped schools, friends and not-for-profit groups with fundraising, he said.
The Tauranga Mini Golf facility at Memorial Park. Photo / Alex Cairns
Head wanted to keep the legacy going and the only way he could was to prove to the council that it was wanted by the community.
A website has now been set up to collect people’s submissions for or against the course and its potential relocation to another council site.
In the two weeks since the site went live, with a link via the mini golf’s website, there have been more than 600 submissions of support representing about 2000 votes, Head said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were just three against the idea, Head said.
“I’m rapt.”
Submissions already accrued were “overwhelming”, with the majority referencing it as a family-friendly activity for all ages, he said.
A family are pictured in 1983 enjoying the new mini golf course developed by the Tauranga Rotary Club at Memorial Park. Photo / NZME
Head said he invested a lot of work in cleaning up the course in the five years he’s had it.
“I felt if I made it nice, people would come and it worked. Turnover doubled.”
This reinforced his belief there was demand from the community for the mini golf course to keep going, for the community.
“I see myself as a caretaker. I’m taking care of this for the public.
“I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life.”
Head was open to future locations but ideally, he wanted to locate the course on the park’s front lawn where the Anzac Day services are held, or between the Tauranga Rowing Club and the entrance opposite 6th Ave.
Mike Head has beautified the Tauranga Mini Golf course at Memorial Park. Photo / Alex Cairns
Despite the imminent demise of the existing golf course, Head said he was not opposed to the council’s plans.
“I think’s a great idea. I like the idea of the new pools. I’m all for it.”
Council city development and partnerships manager Gareth Wallis said Memorial Park’s indoor and outdoor facilities were “well used and loved by our community” but were in dire need of an upgrade.
It was “too soon” to determine what impact the future plans for the facilities would have on existing park users such as the mini golf but Wallis confirmed the lease was due to expire and the council and Head would move to a monthly lease agreement. This means people could keep enjoying the facility in the coming months, which would help inform the planning for the park’s future facilities.
Wallis said a concept plan for the aquatic and recreation facilities, along with a business case, costs and timings, will be brought to the commission later in the year for consideration.
Kiri Gillespie is an assistant news director and a senior journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, specialising in local politics and city issues. She was a finalist for the Voyager Media Awards Regional Journalist of the Year in 2021.
