New digs taking shape
Work on Pukehina Surf Rescue’s new HQ progresses
Pukehina Surf Rescue’s new club building is taking shape. It’s a shape that was familiar to many who had seen signs promoting the club’s fundraising efforts, long before building work began in September.
The building is easily recognisable from the artist impressions, distinctive with its three-storey ocean-facing front section that will house the lifeguard lookout.
“There’s been a sign on the corner of the road and that’s been there three years,” says club chairman Andrew Mcdowell.
“Now people drive down here and they see something that looks like the sign.”
The patrol tower is obviously a crucial element.
“The panoramic views are just out the gate,” says Andrew. “I underestimated the vision and the view we are going to get.”
But while the building may already seem familiar, there has been a significant change since work began, with a cafe being incorporated into the design.
“When we were planning it and when we were having our presentations to the community, it was around the surf club being a community hub for the beach.
“Now it’s turned 180 degrees and the community is saying ‘we need you here because we’ve got nothing else on the beach at the moment’. We currently don’t have a pub or a space for the community to get together, so this is going to become the place to be and that’s had a major effect on how we deal with our kitchen and beverage facilities.”
Andrew says the emphasis has shifted and the lifeguard use of the building will now go hand in hand with the community requirements.
The club’s old building, opened in 1997, was removed in March.
Site preparation was carried out over the winter and builder Cassidy Construction took over the site in September.
“There was a real push before
Christmas to get a roof on to keep it dry. Cassidy’s have done an amazing job to get there. The next stage now is to get windows and cladding on the building.”
Work is on target, if not slightly ahead of schedule, and the building should be partially usable by June.
“It’s our committee’s intention that we are fully operational on September 22. The cafe will be running, the food and beverage area will be working and our lifeguards will be housed in a building that is suitable for them.”
Nevertheless, fundraising goes on, the latest being a door knock on New Year’s Day that raised almost $7000.
A fundraising street party will be held on March 304 (check out their Facebook page: Pukehina Surf Rescue — Street Party for updates) and the M2M (Moana to Maunga) walk — from Pukehina to the top of Mauao — will also happen again.
Andrew says he hopes local businesses will see the importance of the facility to the community, including their employees.
Money raised at a black-tie event last year, $119,000, will be used for the building fit-out.
Being without a clubhouse for the 2023-24 patrolling season has brought its fair share of challenges.
A donated portacom has been the patrol base, Piha Surf Life Saving Club has donated a portable tower and neighbours have generously allowed their sections to be used. At one stage it was thought patrols would have to operate from Midway Park, but in the end, lifeguards have been able to operate from the usual site right at the end of Pukehina Parade.
“The council have said we are allowed to operate from this site because it’s a place of habit. People come down because they are in the habit of coming to swim between the flags from this carpark,” says Andrew.
He says the number of beachgoers has been up on last year and there has been some fatigue and challenges, but the club has been well supported by Surf Life Saving NZ’S eastern regional office.
Patrols have been at the flagged swim area and there have been roaming patrols up and down the beach.
Professional lifeguards have been on weekday patrol since Christmas Day, but from this weekend there will be only weekend volunteer patrols at the beach.
Cornerstone sponsors for the project have been Surf Life Saving New Zealand and TECT, from where about half the funds have come.
Other funders include Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Lotteries Grants Board, Baytrust, Lion Foundation, Mackay Strathnaver Trust, Black and White Beauty and the Acorn Foundation.
Pukehina Surf Rescue would like to thank all the other sponsors who have offered time, services and volunteer hours in support of the club redevelopment.