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The Hibiscus Men’s Shed is seeking legal advice after its landlord, Auckland Council’s property arm Panuku Auckland, asked for more certainty about when the charity will leave the site it rents from Council in Stanmore Bay.
The Hibiscus Men’s Shed is a charitable trust that provides a space and equipment for its members to work on community projects. It has 55 paid up members and a database of almost 150. Several new members join every month.
While it works on building a permanent facility in Silverdale, the organisation is leasing the lower storey of 1 Brightside Road where it has been for around two years, paying just under $300 per month.
Chair Maurice Browning says a representative of Panuku approached him last week, initially saying he wanted to know when they could move out.
“Since then it has become clear that they want to renegotiate their lease with us, which is currently on a month-by-month basis,” Mr Browning says.
Panuku is spending around $100,000 on structural and refurbishing work on the upper floor of the property and has been offering this for lease (HM October 2). Mr Browning says Panuku told him that during discussions about leasing the rest of the building, several parties enquired about the lower level.
“I can understand why they want to give any perspective tenant more certainty but we are not in a position to provide that,” Mr Browning says. “We hope to break ground at Silverdale in the next few weeks but any building, let alone moving in, is a long way off and dependent on funding and other factors. If we make a commitment by changing our lease, we may have to go on a certain date even if we have nowhere to move to.”
He says as the premises is filled to the brim with woodworking machines, lathes and sundry other equipment as well as a 12m container full, it would be like moving a small factory.
Panuku was invited to an emergency meeting last week with the Men’s Shed trustees, but declined.
Incoming councillors Wayne Walker, John Watson and incoming Hibiscus & Bays Local Board members Janet Fitzgerald and Gary Brown attended as observers.
Mr Browning says the trustees’ decision was to seek legal advice before talking with Panuku about any change in the terms of lease.
Cr Walker says the track record of interactions between Panuku and other community groups has, at times, been ruthless.
“Community groups really need to push back and I’m encouraged that the Men’s Shed is doing that.”
He adds that it will be important for any perspective tenant of the upper floors to be made aware in advance that the Men’s Shed’s operations can be noisy.
Panuku’s portfolio management director, Ian Wheeler, says Panuku understands that the Men’s Shed is looking to move to a more permanent home.
“We need to agree their longer term intentions,” he says. “Panuku’s mandate is to obtain a market related return from non-service property. On completion of the renovation of the building, we will be leasing the upper level. A number of parties have expressed interest in renting this space. There is has been limited interest to date on the lower level. We will continue to talk with the Men’s Shed about their plans, and how this fits with our mandate and any future market interest and leasing arrangements for parts or all of the building.”
