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will have the last dance? But hold it. This will not be for long. Plans are underway to transform the club into a holiday resort before next April. The DA&CC, also known fondly as the Radella Club, and reputed to be one of the most popular planters’ clubs in the Nuwara Eliya district, is up for lease. Plans are under- way to lease the club to CH&FC for a period of 50 years at Rs.15,000 a month. The premises will be transformed into a Club House, to accommodate "Colombo people" and foreigners who seek the cool climes of Nuwara Eliya during the season. Forty luxury rooms will be built with a heated swimming pool, gymnasium and bar to create a club house atmosphere. CH&FC expects to invest Rs. 50 million to upgrade the DA&CC, and to rename it the Radella Country Club complex. If the proposals are finalized before the year ends, the entire hotel complex is expected to be completed in time for the season in April 2004. Since Rs. 50 million is a massive quantum of money, CH&FC expects the lease to last at least 50 years. The suggested monthly rental is Rs.15, 000. The planters in the Nuwara Eliya region are up in arms against such a lease. Nestled among the beautiful evergreen mountains of Radella, a familiar sight to everyone travelling on the Hatton-Nuwara Eliya road, the Radella Club has been the hub of the social life of the planters of the region for generations. Rich in history and tradition and dating back to horse riding days when British planters roamed the country, it has nurtured the spirit of unity among the planters since its inception. And not only the planters, but the workers of the surrounding estates too use the grounds to play cricket and football. It is natural, therefore, that the managers, assistant managers and their families in the tea estates of the region should oppose the ex-planters on the committee who are in favour of leasing the club to outsiders. "These ex-planters who want to sell the club live in Colombo. They don't know or they ignore how much the club means to us, isolated as we are from the night-life of the cities,” says the Manager of a tea estate in Talawakelle. "The club, especially on Tea Days, gives us the opportunity to relax and meet our colleagues and their families, and is a part and parcel of our lives.” His colleague from Nanu Oya adds, "We have been betrayed". But, the other side of the coin shows that the financial situation of the club is not satisfactory, and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the maintenance cost of Rs. 35,000 every month. Committee members in favour of the lease see it as the best way out of a difficult situation. They believe they will gain maximum benefits for the club, with improved facilities at no expenditure, by leasing it to CH&FC, especially as the latter will do 100% maintenance. No clashes are expected because there will be two members representing DA&CC on the committee of the new Radella Country Club. This is obviously not enough for the planters who believe that the Radella Club belongs to the planting community and should not be transformed into a hotel. With outside forces coming in, they believe their social and recreational activities will come to a standstill. In addition to battling with unfavourable weather conditions, hostile labour and unyielding crops, the planters of Nuwara Eliya have now taken on another battle - that of saving the Radella Club from change. Meanwhile, like the steam rising from a cup of tea, the mist swirls round the sturdy mountains of Nanu-Oya. All is quiet. The entire region seems to be holding its breath to see who will have the last dance. |
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