Mr Perry said they had been offered dizzying amounts of money for the land by developers with one offer coming in around the $6 million mark.
They could have spent the rest of their retirement in absolute luxury, but as Mr Perry had said, it would have felt right.
The developers may have put up some spectacular beach-view homes but as he said "where would the average family be able to go?"
In 2009, having run the holiday park for about 20 years, they began negotiating with the Napier, Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Regional councils.
It was a long journey to eventual settlement as there were many political and bureaucratic hurdles to surmount in their quest to keep it in public hands.
Former Napier MP Chris Tremain stepped in as facilitator to help the couple in their quest and after all the details and papers were sorted and settled the three councils stepped forward with $300,000 each to make the purchase.
They bought the land, the buildings and the business, with ownership sitting with the regional council.
Mr Perry and his wife said it was never going to be deal based around money - it was more about public accessibility, which also meant they could continue to go visit there.
"This land is part of me and it has to be for everyone," he said.
There was nothing more satisfying than seeing families arrive to enjoy the sun, shade and sands of relaxing Waipatiki.
The couple had seen the children of a generation past return as adults with their own children, and wanted that generational value to be maintained.
The land had been in the family's name since his grandmother picked up a 40ha slice of it in a ballot draw, and initially it was developed into a farm.
A farm Mr Perry worked on, and where in 1958 while taking in the vista reckoned it would make a great place for a holiday spot to stay in one day.
And it went from there.
He is 72 now and has "slowed down" a bit but continues to live at Waipatiki which he simply described as "a very special place".
A special place for everyone.