Whanganui District Council heritage adviser Scott Flutey recommended the A listing.
His assessment of the pavilion, submitted during the plan change process, said it had architectural value, contributed to a sense of contextual heritage significance at Castlecliff Beach, and held social and historical significance.
“In the last decade, the pavilion has gained further social significance for New Zealand’s punk community, playing host to annual Neil Roberts Day music events,” it said.
“The Duncan Pavilion is one of three documented dodecagon [12-sided] buildings in the country.”
A council report last year said demolition of the pavilion was estimated to cost $20,000, with removal and relocation about $150,000.
At the time, Barron said 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.”
As a Class A-listed building, demolition of the pavilion is now a non-complying activity under the district plan.
Barron said this week that the architect behind the pavilion, Eddie Belchambers, was responsible for other projects around Whanganui, including the council chambers on Guyton St.
The pavilion was built in 1966 by the Wanganui Beach Society and formally opened the following year.
“That society was basically a quango of the council at the time,” Barron said.
“I always thought it was really busy when it first opened but, going through the history of it, I think the longest operator there lasted about four years.
“In 1990, it was given back to council and, a year later, it was actually boarded up because of smashed windows. There were 17 in one year.”
The pavilion is a council venue but Progress Castlecliff has formally operated it since 1997.
Barron said the organisation decided last year to put more funding into advertising it and upgrading its booking system.
“We went live last year through SpaceToCo [online booking system], which is basically Airbnb for halls.
“That has worked really well. It makes it easy and new, different people are booking it.”
There were just under 300 bookings at the pavilion for the last financial year, with 65% from people outside Castlecliff, Barron said.
“I think we’ve got the message across that the building is going nowhere.
“We’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with the council that Progress Castlecliff will operate it through to June 2040.”
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 the Whanganui District Council.
