Expired leases puts clubs' futures 'at the mercy' of GDC

Tairāwhiti Menzshed has operated out of this Parkinson St address in Awapuni since 2018, on a peppercorn lease of $1 per year. Picture by Paul Rickard

The future of clubs operating on council-owned land in Gisborne is up in the air after several leases quietly expired without renewal.

Menzshed’s Tairāwhiti branch, which operates a community workshop, is one such party waiting for Gisborne District Council to decide its fate. The not-for-profit group has operated from council-owned land on Parkinson Street, Awapuni, since 2018, with a peppercorn lease of $1 per year.

That arrangement expired in 2021, and club president James Aramoana says the group is in limbo while it waits to hear what’s next.

“There’s a chance they (the council) could put a business on here, which could generate a large amount of money, or sell the land,” Mr Aramoana said.

“We’re at the mercy of them at the moment. We can’t afford to pick up a building and move it.”

Mr Aramoana said his group operated “on a shoestring” with all tools donated or purchased from fundraising.

Discussions with the council so far had included the possibility of buying the building from the regional authority or paying rates, but purchasing the land was not a possibility for the group, he said.

Tairāwhiti Menzshed had not had to pay a cent of its paltry lease, and was working towards regaining charitable status.

Three groups and one business are operating on council-owned land in Parkinson Street with the council saying it would investigate options for how best to proceed.

Those parties include Gisborne Harrier Club, Surf City Rod and Custom Club, Gisborne Musical Theatre and Roberts Tree Surgeons

The three clubs’ leases all expired in 2019, while Roberts Tree Surgeons has held three-year leases since 2009.

Menzshed’s situation is different to the others clubs’ because it does not own the building it operates out of.

Council liveable communities director Michele Frey said although Menzshed’s lease had expired, it remained in effect on a “holding over” basis.

The council was investigating land use options for the address, including investigating whether it should make the land available for commercial purposes or continue to let community groups use it for minimal rent, Ms Frey said.

The land is zoned as industrial, which was its original purpose when it was purchased.

Ms Frey acknowledged it would be a challenge for the clubs to find new sites, but said the council would work with them and provide a reasonable notice period if the decision was made to use the land for commercial purposes.

A decision could only be made by a meeting of the council.

There are more than 130 Menzshed branches across the country, ranging from Kaitaia in the north to Riverton in the south.