Hello Evan, It has been on my mind for the last month when you sent an update of where things are at with the Course and Clubhouse Development and since your poor response to the Feedback on the 1st Tee Precinct last week I thought it prudent to get on to this namely the Clubhouse.
Seismic Restrengthening of the Clubhouse.
While I was Project Manager of the intended works, I engaged CHP Engineers to do a full structural assessment of the Clubhouse and received their initial report in October 2022.
As you know the building at that time was rated at ~45% NBS, based on the lowest structural element found within the building at that time, however the report still needed some further investigation on how the Dycore concrete first floor slabs were supported by the concrete walls below. CHP were again engaged to do this however as you know my role as PM had finished so I did not know what this report findings were.
My understanding is that this was completed, and the Board made aware of the findings early 2023 and since your Newsletter, over a year after, let us all know for the first time that the building rating came in at ~15% NBS I was shocked that nothing had been done about this or members made aware of this earlier. As you know, after mentioning it within your update, any building under 34% NBS is usually Red Stickered, so where are we at with this?
If this has been delayed due to your endeavours to sell the Clubhouse to WIAL this too seems very risky and probably one reason why they haven’t been showing interest?
Having been involved with this type of work before it was often the case that the Dycore was not supported well enough by the walls and when I saw the cutouts done early last year I would not have been surprised by these findings however I also know that this is easily remedied usually by installing steel angles at regular intervals around the slab edges and bolt fixed to walls.
I also remember that the Budget for this work was around $50k (discussed at Delottes from memory?) which to me was hugely underpriced however it is not difficult to do this work so even if it cost say $300 - $400k I would see this as being a far better spend than demolition, as seems to be suggested in your Newsletter? Also, it would probably only take 3 – 4 months to have done this work so we’d be in a much safer facility than we are now!
I trust that you or someone has taken these findings to WCC for their awareness, and I know that it is upto the landlord whether to register these findings so has anything along these lines been done?
In terms of your other comments on the Clubhouse:
- Yes extensive repair work is required along with solutions to stop water ingress, we knew this back in the Facilities Team era
- The clubhouse footprint is not huge if we still want Conference Facilities if we don’t then some good planning using the current Clubhouse could work around a possible Driving Range incorporation.
- The clubhouse could be at the start of the course if the old holes 8 & 9 are maintained. This looks like a typical no other possibility approach that you still think Members don’t see??
- Why are you calling the driving range an off-course activity? It will still be on MGC land won’t it?? Anyway, I look forward to your delivery on the Business Case for a Driving Range!!
As for the 1st Tee Precinct you saw my response to the questionnaire. The fact that this was put out a month before any details of the facility was shown led to a poor response (some people I spoke to didn’t even see the link) and an interpretation that has no merit!
Nga Mihi,
T o n y S h o r t
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