Club Rebuild

Club Rebuild: Frequently Asked Questions

What prompted the committee to move forward with a clubhouse rebuild project now?

Following a nationwide property survey undertaken by an independent property assessor on behalf of Surf Lifesaving NZ (SLSNZ) in 2021 of all existing SLSNZ club facilities, the Whiritoa Clubhouse was reported to be in a poor condition and past its useful life with the existing facilities not meeting the immediate needs of the club due to the condition, capacity, and layout. It was recommended by through the independent building assessment that a complete rebuild of the main club building was recommended.

Whiritoa Site Inspection Summary (Veros Report) pdf

How are the external providers being selected?

All external providers are selected by the building subcommittee after working through a rigorous Request For Proposal (RFP) process which includes several interviews with the key management and the core delivery team, reference checks on prior work and a thorough independent proposal review. We appreciate there will be organisations throughout the course of our project who put forth a proposal but are not successful, and we thank everyone for their passion and energy in our project.

How can I support the project financially?

You can make an online donation via our fundraising page at https://chuffed.org/project/whiritoa-clubhouse. Donations can be made by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay and can be one-off or monthly recurring donations.

As a club member or local community resident, when can I give feedback on the design and functionality of the new clubhouse?

During August to October 2023, the build sub-committee, along with senior lifeguards and key stakeholders provided a thorough brief and have undertaken multiple engagement sessions with RTA Studio. We are planning to unveil the first concept plans at our 50th Anniversary celebrations over Waitangi Weekend. Following this unveiling we will be encouraging community and member consultation to ensure that the new building is meeting the needs of the community and our members.

What is the estimated cost of rebuilding a new clubhouse?

As we are at the early stages of the project and have not yet finalised the clubhouse design, we do not have a final construction cost. However, based on other comparable clubhouse rebuild projects we expect the total cost of the project to be approximately $5million. This amount was determined through a facilities comparison with other similar SLSNZ clubs that have recently been constructed and additionally checked through a professional cost estimate based on the initial scope from key stakeholders. As you can imagine we require significant support from corporate sponsors and community funding organisations. If you would like to discuss a Corporate Sponsorship package, please get in touch with the team via wslsnb@gmail.com.

Why is it going to cost so much?

There are many factors to be aware of in such a build and it all adds up. The building itself will have its own cost however the process as a whole has costs that some people may not be aware of, such as:

Council and consultant fees
Material costs
Labour costs (architects, builders, plumbers, electricians etc)
The removal of the current building + correct disposal of asbestos
Interim storage of equipment such as containers with cameras to ensure safety

What is the expected breakdown in the funding allocation for the rebuild costs?

In previous years, the Whiritoa Lifeguard Service Committee has been aware that a clubhouse rebuild was imminent. As reported at the last club Annual General Meeting (AGM) trading profits from club activities including Bar and Snack bar sales have been set aside over recent years knowing this investment will be required. However, a majority of funding for the clubhouse redevelopment will be sourced from external funding organisations including Community Grants, Surf Lifesaving NZ capex funding and corporate sponsorship. If you would like to support the fundraising activities, please send an email to the team at wslsnb@gmail.com.