4 minute read
WHANGAREI
Whangarei’s historic railway station – once an eyesore that looked doomed to demolition – is enjoying a new life thanks to the vision and hard work of a team of volunteers.
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Built in 1924-25, the railway station is now the base for the Whangarei Men’s Shed – a social organisation for men of all ages whose skills were in danger of being lost to the community.
When the Men’s Shed took over the building in 2012 the building itself – which is listed as a Category 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – was also in danger of being lost.
“We initially had a temporary one-year lease on the old Kiwi House at Heritage Park, but that had run out. One option for us was the railway station – but following inspection it was rejected due to the major work required to make it habitable,” says Duncan Sutherland of Whangarei Men’s Shed.
“We had to move, though, and Whangarei District Council allowed us to temporarily store our gear at the eastern end of the station and put new iron on the roof of this section, so we had a small water-tight area for storage. It wasn’t long before shed members had a couple of work benches built, hooked up the power and put in a kitchen sink with cold water.”
The railway station had been neglected for years, and represented an extensive ‘to do’ list for anybody looking to take it on as a project, according to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland Manager, Bill Edwards.
“There were issues with joinery, the roof, cladding, paintwork and damage to the structural elements that held the distinctive veranda above the platform – pretty well every aspect of the building from the ground up needed work. Fortunately the ‘Sheddies’ were up to the task,” says Bill.
Following discussions with Whangarei District Council, it was agreed that the council would sell the building to the Men’s Shed.
“We decided that we would undertake the heritage restoration of the building as a heritage project to preserve it for current and future generations. This would also allow us to carry out the internal work required to suit the purposes of making a permanent base for Men’s Shed,” says Duncan.
Led by Duncan and his volunteer committee, the Sheddies set about addressing the issues with the building. A conservation report was prepared, with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff providing additional advice as needed free of charge.
“Many of our members had years of experience in building, and practical experience working with and repairing such things as sash windows,” says Duncan.
“This knowledge was invaluable to us and of assistance to the contractors."
In addition to the, at times daunting, prospect of restoring a heritage building, Duncan and his team also raised money for the work via Lotteries Heritage and other public funds.
“Funding enabled some of the work to be carried out by contractors and the Men’s Shed volunteers did the rest themselves,” says Bill.
The building has been transformed as a result. The roof has been replaced, along with some cladding where needed, and joinery has been repaired and repainted. The changes have been impressive and have addressed the issues raised in the original conservation report.
“Besides the long overdue repairs and maintenance that have been carried out, the exciting thing is that the building is now enjoying a second life,” says Bill. “It’s been transformed from a problem to an asset.”
The community has responded with enthusiasm to the newly restored building.
“Feedback has all been very positive, and often people are amazed at what we’ve done.
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We’re now getting a lot of anecdotal stories from people about their own associations with the building,” says Duncan.
“We feel we have preserved an historic working building for current and future generations. We hope that it will once again become a community hub, tourist attraction and venue for train excursions. It’s already being used by other community groups and community events.”
The project has had its challenges, which Duncan and his team have risen to meet.
“A large project of this nature by a voluntary organisation is far more complex than we originally envisaged. It’s not simply a case of ‘doing up a building’,” says Duncan.
The result, however, has been a triumph; a perfect base for an organisation that has men’s health and well-being at its heart.
It has also become a place where skills can be passed on to members of the community, and where hundreds of projects have been carried out for other non-for-profit community groups and individuals.
“Thanks to Men’s Shed, a building more or less condemned to death row has now been reconfigured to be completely functional, with the protection of its heritage values top of mind,” says Bill.
“It is a testament to the vision and hard work of a dedicated group of professionals and volunteers.” n Writer: John O'Hare
OPPOSITE PAGE: Classic cars outside the Whangarei Railway Station. ABOVE: At work in the Men's Shed. BELOW: Whangarei Railway Station before work began.
CREDIT: WHANGEREI MEN'S SHED
