Where are we at?


Many of you would have noticed a pause on visible progress over the last 8 weeks and a re-set to our completion timelines.  The project timeline has been pushed out to accommodate a number of modifications to our original plans. These changes have been required to respond to a number of unknowns discovered during the demolition stage and, more importantly, to reflect some external and internal enhancements generated by discussions over Easter. Our original design and plans, for budget reasons, were largely based on exterior and structural remediation and renovation with many internal spaces and features remaining largely untouched. The revised plans reflect a number of exterior and interior enhancements to the club which will enhance operational and member experience – both aesthetically and functionally.

These discoveries and new features required additional engineering and design inputs and a modification to our consented plans. A revised cost estimate has also been developed, firming up some of the provisional estimates we already had in place.
 What are some of the new features?

The renovations will now encapsulate:Re-fitting the ground floor space to: (a)  expand female changing and shower facilities – to reflect the gender balance of our life guards (at least 50% being young women); (b) provide more privacy for patients in our first aid facility; (c) ensure floor surfaces and suitable drying facilities so the ground floor is an appropriate “wet” space, avoiding the impact of sand and water on the upper floor areas.

  • Installing of new larger skylights; raising window/door heights  to significantly improve the natural lighting on the first floor.
  • Replace, upgrade, and modernise the first aid room;  toilets, kitchen and meeting areas to provide the ambiance and functionality to the spaces created by the main renovations – including durable floor coverings to minimise the impact of sand and water. This includes reflecting gender balance re amenities and also providing for better disabled and age access to all Club spaces
  • Improving ventilation and heating throughout both floors, with specific focus on the downstairs toilet and changing room areas. Consolidate and update the electrical distribution/wiring through the club (ensuring the extended patrol tower has fit-for-purpose electrical and data capability).
  • Installing new outdoor showers for club members – particularly our nearly 200 junior surf participants.
  • Modernising the fit-out of our extended patrol tower/mezzanine area – and public access area. 
  • Adding new exterior supports to enable better/extended shading across the decks/front of the club – which are used extensively  by lifeguards on patrol.

Below are some artist impressions of what the buildings and interior spaces will look like when we are done.  The detailed interior fit-out will be reflective of where we land on funding. The interior colour scheme has not been finalised but will be more neutral than some of the initial concepts that were shared.

Funding – Your Club needs you!!

To create the Club we want for 2025, we still need additional funds to get to the finish line.

At this stage we have an estimated funding gap of around $500,000. This reflects a total project cost of around $300,000 more than our initial projections. The design changes we have had to make for structural and safety reasons, along with the new internal and external features mentioned above has bumped up our funding needs.

Club Members, if you have been waiting to see more clearly what you are getting – now is the time to make your donation. If any member is aware of a locally connected organisation or individual who is interested in supporting the club, then please contact the project team via manager@whangamatasurf.co.nz or reach out to our Project Director direct (Bryan Black – at bryan@manco.co.nz). We also have refreshed funding brochures, reflecting the new design features, available, Again, contact the project team if you are interested in using this material in a conversation with a potential donor.

Funds are largely in place to complete the works planned until Xmas; however, we also need to progress some of the services, etc for the main club building as part of that work. The timing of the last fit-out phase will be fully dependent on funding timing.

We have had strong levels of support from Surf Lifesaving New Zealand, Trust Waikato along with significant contributions from the Lotteries Board and a number of individuals connected with the Club and the Whangamatā community. A big thanks to them all!

The project team continue to explore additional institutional funding from various public and private sources, however it will be member and community support that gets us to the finish line in Q2 of 2025.

Cheers. Project Transform Team.