Save Kerikeri's pavilion, ratepayer group urges

Far North District councillor Dave Hookway and Kerikeri Ratepayers Association secretary Jane Johnston check out the fire-damaged Kerikeri Domain pavilion. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF

A ratepayer group is calling for a rethink on plans to demolish the fire-damaged Kerikeri Domain pavilion.

The pavilion - which consists of a grandstand, changing rooms and showers, squash courts and clubrooms, and a multi-purpose space used for everything from choir practice to a youth drop-in centre - has been boarded up since a fire in June last year.

Originally the Far North District Council had planned to demolish the pavilion and use $190,000 from the insurance payout to help the squash club relocate to a site set aside at the Heritage Bypass sports complex since 2010.

The pavilion's future was discussed at length at a Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board meeting earlier this week, when council staff had asked board members to recommend demolishing the building. Speakers included mayor John Carter and representatives from Kerikeri Ratepayers Association and Kerikeri Squash Club.

Instead the board called for a report on the feasibility and costs of repairing the pavilion, chairman Terry Greening said. That report is due to go to the August 3 council meeting for a decision.

Kerikeri Ratepayers Association secretary Jane Johnston said the group was "really disappointed" the pavilion discussion wasn't in the board meeting agenda but was added as a late tabled item. She had only found out by chance.

Council staff had failed to consider the "win-win" option of selling the building to a community group and giving the proceeds to the squash club if they still wanted to relocate. That way Kerikeri retained a well-used asset and the squash club didn't lose out, she said.

She was pleased the council was now looking at the possibility of repairing and reusing the building. It made no sense to demolish a $1.8 million building to free up $190,000 for squash, she said.

District councillors had been due to vote on demolishing the pavilion at their May meeting but councillor Dave Hookway said they couldn't decide the future of a public asset without seeing the insurance report or knowing the cost of rebuilding versus demolition.

The vote was put off until the June meeting pending further information. The information was still not available for the June 22 meeting so the decision was further postponed.

Mr Hookway has since organised a tour of the pavilion to show Mr Carter and others the damage was not as bad as had been claimed.

The pavilion is valued at $1.8m with insurance assessors putting the fire damage at $490,000. So far $345,000 has been paid out; the final sum will depend on whether it is repaired or demolished. Pre-fire users of the pavilion included the squash club, rugby league, Scottish dancers, a choir and a youth centre.

It was originally built and paid for by the rugby and squash clubs in 1968-72 but transferred to the council in 2010. Rugby has since relocated to Kerikeri Sports Complex.

■ The Far North District Council is currently consulting on a reserve management plan for the Kerikeri Domain, including the pavilion. Go to the council's consultation page to have your say.