Whanganui Surf Lifeguard Service planning to begin work on new building this year

The club's current building opened in 1956. Photo / NZME

Building work on a new surf lifesaving headquarters at Whanganui’s Castlecliff Beach could start this year.

Whanganui Surf Lifeguard Service‘s (WSLS) current facility was opened in 1956, and the club’s new build lead, Dan Brown, said it was “not in a great state”.

He said the club had conducted a design and consultation process on a new facility before receiving feedback from Surf Lifesaving New Zealand (SLSNZ).

“SLSNZ is a significant funder of the project, and is not keen on anything that isn’t core surf lifesaving,” Brown said.

“Ultimately, they [SLSNZ] set our direction and core function.

“Previously, there was quite a loose arrangement with surf clubs - you could pretty much do what you wanted, and based on the size of your club, you got certain funding.

“Now, it is much more rigid. ”

Brown said work would take place over the next few months to “satisfy the needs” of SLSNZ.

“We’ve been given reference designs based on our club size, with square metres for training and storage and that sort of thing.”

He expected the new build to cost between $3 million and $3.5m.

In 2024, Whanganui District Council pledged $1 million towards the project through its 2024-34 long-term plan, to be used in the 2025/26 financial year.

That money has been deferred until 2026/27.

Maia Paki competing in the under-9 beach flags event at the club's 2024 junior carnival. Photo / Alanah Brown Photography

Then-club treasurer Matthew Newell told the Chronicle in 2023 that the William McAlpine Duncan Pavilion (next to the club’s building) was due to be demolished, and there had “been calls for a joint facility with public toilets and maybe a community area.”

Since then, the pavilion has been saved after being awarded Class A Heritage status by the council, and a new promotional campaign from Progress Castlecliff led to just under 300 bookings for the 2024/25 financial year.

Brown said the surf lifesaving building was used for six to seven months a year, “it’s definitely a seasonal thing”.

“Having a $9m or $10m build would be fantastic, but it’s probably outside of what we want to do.”

He said the club was keen to have new designs completed as soon as possible, and he was hopeful construction or demolition work would begin in 2026.

In 2024, the club held its first junior carnival in 45 years, with the event returning in 2025 and 2026.

Brown said there were around 180 entrants this year, a significant increase on 2024.

“That’s huge, and the message we’ve received from other clubs around the lower North Island is we’re in a perfect position to be holding competitions.

“We are quite central to New Plymouth and Wellington, and we even had entrants from Raglan coming down this year.

“To give the club a new building would be just amazing.”

WSLS lifeguards are patrolling at Kai Iwi and Castlecliff beaches every day from midday to 6pm until after Waitangi weekend (February 8).

Mike Tweed is a 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 Whanganui District Council.