Silverdale United upgrade more than skin deep

Silverdale United Rugby Football Club is embarking on a $1.4million upgrade of its facilities – a project that its director of finance Chris Carter says is one of the most significant undertakings in the club’s history.

The work includes a new external façade, re-designed interior with modern lounges, bar, foyer and kitchen, upgraded changing rooms and showers and changing rooms for women. The plans utilise the building’s existing footprint so that the club can retain its existing carparks.

The refurbishment is not only aimed at modernising the club and improving its appearance and facilities but also putting it on a secure financial footing.

At the club’s annual meeting last week, Mr Carter told members that this has been an exceptional year, generating a surplus of more than $82,000, but that cash flow has been trending down for many years. This has made it difficult for the club to move forward and employ additional staff – a rugby/sports manager is needed to ease the workload on volunteers.

He said that upgrading the facilities will increase rental and sponsorship revenue as well as income from the bar and kitchen. The plans remove some space currently used by the squash club in order to extend the space available to the rugby club’s other tenant, the Northgate Baptist Church.

The club will need to borrow $900,000 to complete the proposed upgrade.

Upgrading the ageing buildings has been on the cards since 2007, although it was put to one side from 2011–15 while the club decided whether to relocate to Metro Park in Millwater. Members voted last year to stay put at Silverdale War Memorial Park.

Draft plans for the upgrade are now available to members for feedback as more details are finalised. Meanwhile the rugby club board is speaking with the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, beginning the resource consent process and obtaining tenders.

A special general meeting will be held around the middle of next year so that members can endorse the final plans and financial details.

Construction is planned for October 2017 to January 2018.