The following text is a copy of an email sent to membership on 2018. You can view the full email, including images, at the link.
To the Members and Supporters of Paekakariki Surf Lifeguards,
The purpose of this email is to inform the membership of some important information regarding the PSL Clubhouse and to provide a brief update as to where we are at with the current club rebuild project.
Over recent months the PSL management committee has discussed the current building at length. We are aware of a number of issues with the current building that have been raised through the membership and there have also been some questions asked in relation to the structural integrity of the building following the Kaikoura earthquakes that occurred a couple of years ago. The question that the committee has been grappling with over the past few years is how much money we invest in the current clubhouse given the overarching goal of building a new clubhouse.
To assist in decision-making, the committee engaged Sawrey Consulting Engineers Ltd to provide an independent assessment of the current building. This was the same engineering company that undertook the initial Seismic assessment in August 2011 as part of a feasibility study that provided options for the clubhouse (essentially what was the catalyst for the club rebuild project). Sawrey Consulting Engineers conducted the assessment of the current building on November 6th and provided a report to the committee last week. Their key findings were as follows:
- Parts of the building are at 22% NBS – the building is earthquake prone.
- The building will continue to deteriorate and without significant investment, there is not much we can do to stop this now.
- The building is fit for purpose in the short term however needs to be replaced or strengthened within 5 years
- There is risk during an earthquake (moderate or large) and we need to get an evacuation plan in place when the building is in use. (Evacuation Plans here – These will be displayed around the clubhouse)
This does not address the maintenance issues in relation to the clubhouse – hot water, plumbing etc, however it does give us some clear guidelines and timeframes to work towards in relation to a new building. It also provides us with clear information that will assist us in decision making regarding investment in the short term. With respect to this, the committee is investigating a plan for the plumbing and hot water as soon as is practicable.
I want to use this opportunity to acknowledge the work that a lot of our members have done on our club to keep things ticking along- particularly James Imrie, Steve Dickson, Steve Shields, Dwight Garton and Trent Shields. These guys have put countless hours into maintaining the building and it is often at their own expense (apologies for anyone that I have missed).
The new building project has been led by Matt Warren and he has put in a mountain of work for this. The biggest challenge that we have had to date, has been securing a lease so that we can move ahead with the consent process. We had an early indication where we could build, however, as we have moved further along with this process, it became apparent that this was not a feasible option. We currently do not have a lease for a new building, however we have 80% of the documentation required for this, and the engineer’s report will help us push ahead with this.
The long term goal is still a rebuild of a clubhouse. We have 5 years to make this happen and it is going to take a huge effort from the entire membership.
We will endeavour to keep the membership up to date as we move ahead with this process.
If you have a skillset that could add value, or wish to be involved in this project we would love to hear from you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this email or the process that we have undertaken.
Brent Harvey
Chair
Paekakariki Surf Lifeguards
brentharvey82@gmail.com
Paekakariki Surf Lifeguards 