Riverside living ignites developer’s city vision
Plans being made to turn former newspaper building into 20 stylish one and two-bedroom apartments
Adeveloper with extensive experience investing in major cities overseas has revealed plans to turn the former Whanganui Chronicle building into a “stylish” riverside apartment block.
John Hay, who moved to Whanganui with his two children 18 months ago, bought the building with a vision of converting the Taupo Quay building into 20 “stylish new one and two-bedroom homes”.
“I personally think that Whanganui is a real hidden gem,” he said.
“The river itself I think is a huge attraction. I walk along there every day with the dog and it’s a beautiful, beautiful river. You see the kids rowing in the morning . . . it’s really quite inspiring.”
The 70-year-old moved to Whanganui to retire but said “when you’re living in a place and you see opportunities you’ve got to kind of step up and have a go”.
Born in Wellington, Hay has been a property developer for about 40 years and has developed apartment style properties in Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States with his company Bridgewater Estates.
When he moved to Whanganui a lot of people told him the city needed a five-star hotel and inner city apartments.
The building was bought six months ago and the developer said he considered everything that was available in the city.
“This building, which had been vacant for many years, became available for sale and we looked at
Mike King has delivered a message of hope to six Whanganui schools. Whanganui City College was one of the schools that played host as the comedian and mental health advocate spent more than two hours talking and asking students questions.
City College students Kyle Pomana, Miracle Whittaker, TiaraMae Koroheke and Teijhan Te AmoMarsh were all in attendance and shared their thoughts on the event. Whittaker said King was hilarious. “He actually knew how to get to us. He’s the only person who has come in and we weren’t bored halfway through the speech,” she said. “We weren’t talking or sleeping.” Koroheke, 13, said it was an emotional experience.
“I was going through some stuff that day because there was something going down with my family.
“He’s telling you what you need to know, what you need to hear and that you can get through things.”
Three’s television show The Hui had a crew in attendance, filming the event for their last show of the year.
King recommended they film at City College as he had a good experience there about five years ago.
“Mike has been through things that we can all relate to,” Pomana said.
“What I took from his visit is that it’s not silly or stupid to ask for help.”
Meanwhile, Te Amo-Marsh said she related to a lot of what King said.
The 14-year-old said when she lived in Hamilton, she was not in a good spot but is now thriving in Whanganui.
“He said that you may not be happy now, but later on in life, it’s going to get better for you,” Te AmoMarsh said.
“Everyone has an inner critic in them, they have someone who’s talking to them in their mind, which is thinking and no-one is different to anyone else.”
King quit comedy and began advocating for mental health about 10 years ago.
He now travels New Zealand delivering presentations, mostly for youth.
Recently he completed the I Am Hope Aotearoa Tour which involved nine scooters, 70 talks and 3500km on the road in which he met 20,000 people.
King was able to raise $76,000 for his Key to Life Charitable Trust which aims to reverse population trends of depression and suicide by effecting positive social change.
He also visited Te Kura o Kokohuia, Whanganui Intermediate School, Whanganui Girls’ College, Rutherford Junior High School and Wanganui Collegiate School.
City College deputy principal Val Rooderkerk said King’s appearance had a massive impact on the students and the challenge would now be maintaining his messages.
The students delivered a haka at the end of his presentation, which King shared on his Facebook page, saying it was one of the best he has seen for some time.