North Golf Residents Upset at New Smart Gate

North Golf is an area of El Gouna comprised of 29 villas abutting the golf course. It has its own security gate manned by security personnel 24/7,  as do the majority of areas in El Gouna. 

A few days ago construction began on a new smart gate to replace the existing setup, without any warning or consultation with the 29 villa owners. 

Residents were told by the on site foreman that the new system will allow a card to open the gate, with a buzzer and two way intercom to call the central security control room.

Villa owners were alarmed to notice two narrow lanes being setup at this only entrance to Golf North , with rock and cement delimiting the lanes.

North Golf villa owners believe this new gate will cause problems and solve a problem that never existed.

The new gate will be too narrrow to allow normal delivery trucks or boat trailers to pass.  Currently an SUV has difficulty getting through. Some villa owners have furniture delivered in large 40 ft mover trucks. Or how about the big bulldozer that evens the road after the rains.  These all will not get through. The first villa after the gate (GN3) will not be able to have a large car or boat trailer negotiate an exit since the median juts out too far.

Villa owners complained to Customer Services. They received positive reactions from El Gouna construction management of willingness to modify the design. This, at time of writing, is yet to be seen.

Many owners feel that installing smart card entrance systems is unworkable and unecesary. Guests, staff, contractors, visitors, taxis, etc. will not carry cards and the old fashioned security guard will always be needed.

Residents were told guards will not man the gate anymore but roam around North Golf. With nowhere to sit, can we expect security personnel to rest in the heat of summer or the cold of winter nights around villa patios?

Moreover, most residents like their security guards, and formed a bond with them.  They are friendly familiar faces to residents, greet them politely and give El Gouna that old fashioned personal touch.

Automated systems are costly, break down, require maintenance and spare parts, all invariably not produced locally, and requiring foreign currency. An extra burden on the Services Charge bill.

The West Golf smart gate was removed after a trial period as it appears to have broken down by malicious misuse. 

Why then install one in North Golf ?

To return to Gouna News - Press Here