Sign In / Register
A year-long stalemate between Kaipara District Council and the Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service has broken.
Central government stepped in after KDC found no provision in its 2024-2027 long term plan for the estimated $1.9 million needed to repair the slip on reserve land which placed the clubhouse off-limits following the Auckland anniversary weekend floods early last year (see MM, March 18).
The lifeguards, who have operated on the site since 1963, have been using shipping containers and portacoms on the carpark, a solution frustrating both for the club – whose vision is that no-one drowns on the popular beach – and for beachgoers, especially over the busy summer period.
In late June, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) told MHVLS that central government funding was available to repair the slip, a project estimated to cost around $1.9 million.
The club’s insurers covered the cost of restoring the building but would not go ahead until the slip is repaired and the hillside stabilised.
In a bid to break the deadlock, MHVLS in April proposed raising the funds for the work itself, in return for council agreeing to sign a 33-year lease for the clubhouse, with the right to renew for a further 33 years (MM, April 15).
KDC and MHVLS have now signed a works agreement and, at council’s late July meeting, elected members directed staff to start engaging with the community for the wider Mangawhai Heads reserve area, which could include a lease on the reserve area for the club. Mangawhai Heads is subject to the Reserves Act 1977 and is one of many reserves covered under the Mangawhai Coastal and Harbour Reserves Management Plan (RMP).
“Our number one focus is ensuring Mangawhai Heads is a safe beach for the public to visit,” club chair Jess Costello later said. “We are grateful for the support of KDC, the government and SLSNZ for helping us to work towards getting back into a permanent base of operations.
“The club’s current situation, operating out of temporary facilities, is unsustainable,” Costello added. “Our goal is to get into a permanent building as soon as possible to maintain membership numbers and improve our rescue response times, and to continue our training, education, and junior surf programmes.”
She said the works agreement has provided much-needed clarity around the future of our club, which also looked to possible future improvements to the reserve to benefit the community, heritage and environment.
Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson voiced relief that a way forward had been found that worked for everyone involved.
“I love the surf club and the work they do, and I’m keenly conscious of how important they are to Mangawhai residents and visitors. I want to congratulate them and SLSNZ for accessing this external funding, and getting the slip fixed without burdening our ratepayers. Getting a works agreement sorted now means they can crack on with repairs quickly and return to their normal premises.”
Council Chief Executive Jason Marris said staff would continue to work closely with MHVLS to advance the repairs and support its remediation of the slip and clubhouse.
Next steps would be community engagement on the future medium-to long-term use of the greater Mangawhai Heads reserve area.
SLSNZ CEO Steve Fisher said Mangawhai Heads was an extremely popular beach, and it was vital that the surf club had appropriate facilities. He thanked government for its funding support, and KDC for enabling a pathway forward for work to begin.
MHVLS favours a long lease rather than a simple license to occupy, which provides far fewer powers to the user of a property.
During the 2023/2024 patrol season, MHVLS lifeguards were on patrol for a combined 2700 hours and rescued 10 people.
