The New Orleans City Council voted 6-1 to let them have nearly $2 million in bond money to help pay for the $6 million reconstruction of the park's golf course that began last summer.

Ron Forman, chief executive officer of the institute, said none of the money will be used to build a new golf clubhouse. Plans for the 7,800-square-foot clubhouse have inspired much of the criticism that has engulfed Audubon since the formation last year of the organization Save Audubon Park.

Leaders of that group were the most vocal critics Thursday of Forman and the Audubon Nature Institute, a nonprofit group that operates Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and other facilities for the Audubon Park Commission, a city agency.

Michael Deas, one of the group's founders, said the park's "beauty is disappearing before our eyes because the Audubon Nature Institute has decided to exploit it for their own personal gain." Calling the planned clubhouse "a building that only Al Copeland could love," he said that building it would be "civic vandalism" and that letting Audubon have the bond money would "reward a profound betrayal of the public trust."

Audubon's plans also came under criticism from representatives of the League of Women Voters, the Preservation Resource Center and the Louisiana Landmarks Society, and from former mayoral candidate Vernon Palmer.

Most urged the council to withhold the bond money at least until the City Planning Commission can review Audubon officials' plans for the park and decide whether they conform with the city's zoning law and master plan.

In November 2000, Orleans Parish voters approved a $150 million bond program for streets and other capital improvements, including $2 million for unspecified improvements to the section of Audubon Park between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street.

The chief feature of that section of the park is the century-old golf course, but the critics said voters had no idea the money would be used for a complete redesign and reconstruction of the course, or that Audubon officials planned to build a new clubhouse, tear down the park's old plant conservatory or end access to Hurst Walk, a pedestrian walkway that cut across the old course near its St. Charles end.

Forman denied the critics' claim that park officials are desecrating the design laid down for the park in the late 19th century by John Charles Olmsted. He said the conservatory, which was demolished over the protests of many of the same people criticizing the clubhouse as a garish commercial intrusion into a quiet pastoral setting, actually was larger than the new building will be.

Forman also said officials plan to reopen Hurst Walk if the Legislature passes a law saying people using the walk who are struck by errant golf balls could not sue Audubon for damages. Gov. Foster has asked the Legislature to do that in the special session beginning Monday.

The council acted at the behest of Councilman Scott Shea, whose district includes the park. Shea said he thought the council had no choice but to turn over the bond money because work on the golf course is 75 percent complete.

He said Forman should be commended "for the leadership he's demonstrated at Audubon Park" but that Audubon officials should do a better job of working with neighborhood groups and of making sure their plans are consistent with the city's master plan.

Councilman Oliver Thomas, who cast the only dissenting vote, said he liked the idea of having the Planning Commission review Audubon's plans before the bond money is released.