Rugby union moving into new HQ
HKRU celebrates with official opening of offices, function venue
Horowhenua-Ka¯ piti Rugby Union now has an official base at the spiritual home of rugby in the province. It is just metres away from where a teenaged Carlos Spencer sidestepped Auckland fullback Shane Howarth to score a try in a Ranfurly Shield match in 1993, from where Horowhenua beat the might of Tonga in 1969, and from where Mayor Bernie Wanden played an international cricket match against the Netherlands in the late 1980s.
In the coming weeks HKRU will shift into the brand new building on the northern side of Levin Domain that will double as an administration base and function facility.
The building was given an official opening and blessing last week with a dawn ceremony led by members of both Muau¯ poko and Nga¯ ti Raukawa ki te Tonga and involved past and current players and administrators and local dignitaries such as Wanden and Horowhenua District Council chief executive Monique Davidson.
The need for a new building was mooted decades ago, but had been long time coming. HKRU chief executive Corey Kennett said the project was first raised in 2008. Representative rugby had been played at Levin Domain for the past 113 years, so it made sense to base its operations there.
“It’s taken a long time to get here so it’s incredibly fulfilling,” he said.
In recent times HKRU headquarters were a quaint but aged upstairs building in
Stanley St, housing a staff of five. The new building will also be used to host board meetings and after-match functions, starting with the Hurricanes Poua match against Chiefs Manawa on April 6 at Levin Domain.
A feature of the new building was a veranda overlooking Levin Domain held up by six main poles which feature the names of every player to have represented the province in the last 128 years, with their player number.
Kennett praised Horowhenua District Council for its help. The land at Levin Domain was owned by the council, which has granted HKRU a 20-year lease with a 20-year right of renewal for the site.
There would be the opportunity for a range of sporting and community groups to use the building for events at Levin Domain, such as the cycling club, local colleges, or organisers of the annual Pasifika Celebration Day held at the ground, he said.
The cost for the new building, estimated at more than $700,000, was funded by HKRU aided by the Levin Charitable Trust and Eastern and Central Community Trust.
It has offices and meeting rooms, showers and toilets, a large kitchen and a bar.
The new building comes just a few years after the opening of the Hohepa (Harry) Jacob Community Rugby Centre at Playford Park in 2018, used by HKRU as a meeting space with clinics held by coaches, players and referees.
The two buildings are the first HKRU infrastructure investment since the Levin Domain grandstand 1961.