Lions Mini Golf Palmy

The goal is to give the Palmerston North and Manawatū community a high-quality, fun family activity that creates minimal disturbance to the existing amenities. The facility should also be accessible to everyone in our community, so the design makes 9 holes accessible to people with disabilities.

The course is on PNCC land within the Victoria Esplanade, backing onto the Manawatū Hockey Association complex and facing the children's playground.

Lease arrangements with the PNCC are in place, and the Lions Mini Golf committee acknowledges the support of Mayor Grant Smith. The course covers approximately 1,038 m² and has 18 holes.

A small but enthusiastic group from the Lions Club of Middle Districts planned the Lions Mini Golf – Palmy facility over several years, meeting a wide range of stakeholders including regulatory bodies, council staff, professional service providers, specialist geo-engineering consultants, and potential construction and funding partners. In 2021 final plans were completed, resource consent was granted and fundraising began.

During concept design, professionals were contracted and visits made to well-regarded mini golf facilities around the North Island to capture key learnings in course design, layout and construction.

The facility has an open area and seating for visitors with a light environmental footprint – most of the existing trees around the site were retained. It's built to a high standard with quality materials, and includes a kiosk selling refreshments such as drinks and packaged ice creams.

The facility was funded by the Lions Club of Middle Districts Charitable Trust through public donations and sponsorship, and built with the cooperation and assistance of the Palmerston North business community. The project was budgeted at more than $350,000.

Pricing is kept affordable for families, and the course can accommodate 80-plus people per hour. By early 2022, thanks to the generosity of sponsors and donors and some underwriting from club members, there were sufficient funds in the Trust to begin. The committee acknowledges the generous support of the local business and building sectors, sponsors and donors.

The facility is owned and operated by the Lions Club of Middle Districts Charitable Trust, the charitable arm of the Lions Club of Middle Districts Inc.

The Trust distributes all net proceeds to local worthy causes in line with the charitable purposes in its Trust Deed. A formal grant application and approval process ensures every application is assessed fairly and consistently.

The Victoria Esplanade is an outstanding, family-friendly space that is safe and open to all, enhanced in recent years with bush walks, cycle tracks, a playground, junior road safety park, the Scenic Railway and, in 2017, Wildbase Recovery Centre.

On 17 January 2022, following a formal blessing from Wiremu Te Awe Awe (local kaumātua), the first sod was turned by Mayor Grant Smith, signalling the start of earthworks, drainage and electrical cabling before the course was built.

The Lions Club of Middle Districts was chartered on 15 February 1969 with 30 members, and is now the largest Lions club in Palmerston North with over 50 active members who bring lifetime skills from across the private and public sectors.

A detailed maintenance plan keeps the course in first-class condition. We expect Lions Mini Golf – Palmy to become a multi-generational attraction enjoyed by locals and visitors for many years to come.