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Big repair bill on cards for golf club

Staff ReporterWestern Suburbs Weekly

‘The club was aware of the building deterioration, and in 2011 obtained an indicative quote of $71,000 for concrete repairs; but apparently has not drawn the matter to the Town’s attention,’ staff told councillors at their meeting last week

Subsequent quotes by the council, after the club applied to build a deck and toilets earlier this year, estimated fixing the cancer could cost up to $293,400.

The council found sea air had damaged the heritage-listed building where a timber wall, steel patio and veranda needed replacing, and an asbestos lean-to required rebuilding in a safer material.

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‘In my opinion it has been remiss of the club to not keep the council in the loop,’ Cr Sally Pyvis said.

The 400-member club is on crown land vested with the council but its members cover the annual cost of the land’s upkeep, which could otherwise be ratepayers’ responsibility.

‘If the club were to say ‘You are making life difficult. We’re out of here’, Cottesloe Council would have to find another $300,000, or something like that,’ Cr Jack Walsh, a club member, said.

Club president Trevor Gallagher said the 2011 report was ‘informal’ from a member and the real problem had only become apparent after the request for the deck and toilets prompted an inspection by council staff.

Mr Gallagher said suggesting members were wealthy enough to pay for the repairs was misleading because only 18-hole clubs such as Fremantle and Karrinyup had the facilities and memberships sufficient enough to generate the required income.

Councillors agreed in principle support to pay for half of the repairs, an extension of a council loan, for staff to get more quotes to be tendered if the cost was greater than $100,000 and for Sea View to be reminded it has to keep up maintenance with regular inspections by the council.