KEY POINTS:
Prominent North Shore citizens are upset after a "ticking off" from Mayor Andrew Williams, who said they were letting down the city's youth.
Mr Williams confronted members of the North Shore Events Centre's board of trustees after they spoke out at a council meeting on Tuesday against Youth Town's bid for a home base next to the centre.
Mr Williams told the trustees, who included Basketball New Zealand president Barbara Wheadon, they had let down youth by opposing Sunnybrae Bowling Club's wish to sublease surplus land to Youth Town.
Council approval was recommended by councillor Callum Blair and seconded by the mayor, but it was defeated in a 7-6 vote.
The trust says the move cut across council's assurances in May.
But its members would not talk publicly about being on the receiving end of a tirade from the mayor.
Mrs Wheadon told the Herald only that she was shocked.
She had been awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit honour for her contribution to getting sports facilities on the North Shore.
Other trustees in the events centre's deputation were Bob Jay and Michael Thomas.
Inquiries were directed to trust chairman Dr Wayne Miles who said he missed the meeting. "But I have to say I was amazed at what I heard about the [mayor's] reaction."
In the presentation, the trust said it was supportive of Youth Town and its activities.
"But it appears the trust and Youth Town are being set apart and are against each other and that's not true.
"What we are against is the process."
Although the centre was splitting at the seams with demand for indoor court space for basketball and gymnastics, it supported a strategic development plan being developed for using A.F. Thomas Park and nearby public land. "But it seems a deal was done behind closed doors,"said Dr Miles.
"It was surprising and unfortunate and I think we will try to do our bit to undo what could be some damage."
Mr Williams said yesterday that the bowling club had had an empty paddock for 25 years and Youth Town, with a temporary arrangement to run its programmes at the Onewa netball courts, planned to locate a portable modular building there.
"It seemed a good fit and it was presented to the events centre board four to five months ago," said the mayor.
"But they didn't seem to pick it up and do anything about it.
"It came to the committee yesterday and suddenly the trustees turned up all aghast that this was going ahead.
"I said I was very disappointed because 3000 young people a year go across the bridge to Auckland City for Youth Town programmes and the events centre have chosen to see this as opposition to their future expansion."
