July 1, 2022
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 17
Progress made on Bayswater landmark’s future Bayswater’s landmark boating clubhouse is set for a spruce-up and community use after years of uncertainty around its future. Owner Takapuna Boating Club intends to lease out the top floor – likely to a cafe – and to open up space on the middle level, with the bottom floor for boating use. It says it has already fielded interest from operators keen on a long-term lease. Commodore James Jordan says progress towards resolving legislative issues governing usage of the site means the club can now look forward to the heritage-listed building having a “sustainable” future. “Community involvement and engagement is essential to us,” he told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board last week. The club was beginning a process of talking to locals to gain their support. It wanted to set up a joint advisory committee and include iwi as well. The hope is that in a year or so, the rundown wooden building – once used for dances – will again be a drawcard for the area. “I’m keen to see the old girl get a lick of paint,” said board chair Ruth Jackson. Member Toni van Tonder said she wished things could move even faster. Jordan said the club intended to spend $500,000-$700,000 on the exterior, including painting it and rebuilding decks that cover a silted-up saltwater pool. Before that happened, it needed local board and Auckland Council backing for a law change, which North Shore MP Simon Watts is backing. This would allow for some commercial use of the building, currently prohibited under a 1923 Act of Parliament dating back to when the land was gifted to the club. The legislation states that the land and building cannot be used for private gain, rather “for the purposes of boating-sheds, public swimming-baths, social hall, or for any similar or incidental purpose”. Jackson put forward recommendations that the Act be changed to allow leasing, provided
Facelift ahoy... Takapuna Boating Club plans to spend up to $700,000 on the heritage building’s exterior and lease out the top floor, probably to a cafe returns went back into the building or for com- public consultation and then a seven-or-eightmunity purposes. Council staff had suggested month-long process through a parliamentary this as the best option to safeguard its future. select committee. “It’s a tricky one,” said board member Aidan In 2017, the council stepped in when the club Bennett, “because it’s effectively in ownership tried to sell the building. Having ceased to use outside the community, but the community it as clubrooms in the 1960s, it wanted rid of feels like it owns it.” He asked Jordan about the building and its high maintenance costs. the position of the Takapuna Boating Club, While the club has spent $600,000 re-roofing and if, as a private owner, its hands were tied. the building and repairing foundations, it has Jordan said the club was in it for the long held off on further work. haul. “It’s not an asset that we see that we can As a second-tier heritage-listed building its sell. If we ever get to that point, it would have exterior cannot be significantly altered. to be a community decision,” he said. Board member Jan O’Connor, who in the The ability to lease out space would make it past attended dances in the building, said: “It’s realistic for the club to invest in upkeep and to got a great history to it and it would be really raise funds for renovations. great to get some heritage funding for it.” The board voted unanimously to support A former tannery, it was barged in pieces changing the Act. The issue will be put to an from Panmure to the site in the 1920s. The Auckland Council meeting soon, followed by swimming pool was used until the 1950s.
