Duncan Pavilion at Whanganui’s Castlecliff Beach should be preserved and maintained, custodian says

The Duncan Pavilion (foreground) next to the Wanganui Surf Lifesaving Service building. Photo / Bevan Conley

Options for the future of Whanganui’s Duncan Pavilion have been laid out, with demolition one of several suggested by the district council.

A report from council delivery manager Tania Henare said getting rid of it completely was estimated to cost $20,000 and removal and relocation would be around $150,000.

Built at Castlecliff Beach in the 1960s, the building was ageing “in very harsh coastal conditions” and maintenance costs were likely to increase over time.

“There are elements of the building that will require some investment in the near future to maintain its integrity and appearance,” the report said.

Community group Progress Castlecliff is in charge of managing it.

Chair James Barron said the group was open to practical solutions but it was “adamant” the community needed a hub and the resources it provided.

“Losing it would leave a gap and that’s really not okay, in what is still a relatively remote and emerging, regenerating community.”

The report said Progress Castlecliff was reimbursed by the council for telephone, wi-fi charges and security, and was paid the equivalent of the revenue received via user fees.

Progress Castlecliff committee member Ellen Young secured $10,000 in funding from the Grassroots Trust to renovate the inside of the building in 2012.

She said she was surprised demolition was an option.

“Looking at the engineer’s report on the building, it looks like it only requires a certain amount of maintenance over a 10-year period,” Young said.

“It’s such a beautiful building and if you look at the cost of building now, it makes sense to just maintain it and preserve it for the community.

“I also think we get usage up if we put some resource into marketing it — reminding everyone it’s available.”

The report said maintaining the building was estimated to cost $165,000 in rates funding over the council’s next long-term plan (2024-2034).

Whanganui Board Riders chair and pavilion custodian Robbie Middleton said it was currently used for a wide range of activities.

There was only one weekend free until the end of April.

The building is used for a wide range of activities, including a week-long family reunion. Photo / Bevan Conley

“At the moment, a whanau family reunion group had rented it for the whole week,” he said.

“The woman organising it hasn’t been back since 1968. Her uncle worked at the pavilion when it was a tea room.”

When the group leaves, a baby shower takes its place.

Four Whanganui yoga groups use it every week and Auckland musician Princess Chelsea played a rescheduled show there on January 11.

Middleton said $165,000 in maintenance was “nothing” over 10 years.

“At the moment, we are trying to prove it’s a living, breathing community building.

“Reinforcing of the structure has been done. She may look a bit rugged on the outside but the bones are good. It’s solid.

“It’s just the way we run it for the community, there isn’t a lot of money to be put into it. It‘s good where it is — an architectural beauty.”

Barron said the pavilion didn’t have high-density concrete and maintenance on it “hasn’t been great over the years”.

“Salt gets through the concrete in time and when it gets to the rebar inside that, it starts expanding and that becomes a problem.

“But, it’s nothing that isn’t solvable. It‘s not necessarily terminal but it needs some serious care if it’s to stay in place.

“If it’s not, there needs to be serious consultation with the community.”

A complete renovation of the building is another option.

According to Henare’s report, that is estimated to cost $100,000 next year, followed by $500,000 in 2025/26 and $1 million in 2026/27.

External funding could be sought.

The pavilion has men’s and women’s changing facilities, showers and office accommodation on the ground floor, and a meeting area, kitchen, lobby and toilets on the first floor.

A deck runs along four sides of the building that face the Tasman Sea.

Wanganui Surf Lifesaving Service, which also has a building at the beach, is in the early stages of developing a new rescue centre.

It was estimated to cost $5-7 million in 2019 and the service has requested $1m from the council toward the project.

Henare has suggested a possible partnership in a building between the two groups in the future.

Barron said there were no formal plans with the club but from Progress Castlelciff’s perspective, “a community hub comes first”.

“Obviously the council hasn’t made a decision yet but having public toilets and showers integrated into it (a new surf club building) makes a lot of sense.

“I’m open to all ideas. I just want something that actually delivers better for the community.

“If it was a combined thing, maybe there could be extra space on there. The (Castlecliff) library could be part of it as well. An extra room for Te Oranganui to do immunisation programmes would be really good.”

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.