A heartwarming story! A seaside town's community centre faced demolition, then found a miraculous new lease of life. See how James Hardie helped rebuild it

Port Waikato is a picturesque seaside town on New Zealand's west coast, south of Auckland. It has around 800 permanent residents and a vibrant community life. For many years, a hall owned by the Sunset Beach lifeguard club served as a venue for local activities, including celebrations, playcentre sessions, funerals, weddings, markets and meetings.

 

Unfortunately, in 2019, erosion beneath the hall was found to have progressed beyond repair, forcing the demolition of this historic building. Suddenly, locals had lost an important venue, with nowhere to meet, gather or play, quite apart from the hall's considerable emotional significance.

 

Faced with this enormous challenge, the Sunset Beach lifeguard club took on the mission of rebuilding the community centre. Its members were determined to create a new centre alongside the facilities the club itself needed.

 

What followed was an extraordinarily difficult yet deeply moving journey to rebuild.

 

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Sunset Beach lifeguard club president Malcolm Beattie said:

 

“Rebuilding is about more than meeting the lifeguard club's needs; it is a wider responsibility. As a pillar of the community, the club recognises how important the community centre is to Port Waikato. We need somewhere to train, store equipment and carry out medical triage, but we also want to provide the community with a much-needed multipurpose space.”

 

The first challenges in rebuilding the community centre were engineering-related. The club chose a beachside site 50 metres from the original location. Constraints imposed by the terrain meant the design team had to revise its plans several times before finally securing approval.

 

 

However, the engineering challenges were only the tip of the iceberg. To raise the estimated NZ$1,400,000 needed for construction, senior club members formed a project steering group and went door to door seeking donations.

 

 

Their search for donations brought them to James Hardie. Recognising the value of the Sunset Beach lifeguard club's plans to rebuild the community centre, James Hardie readily agreed to donate the materials needed for the building's internal and external walls. This greatly eased the financial pressure and provided strong support for the project's progress.

 

During construction, the team made full use of innovative products supplied by James Hardie, including RAB™ Board and Linea Weatherboard. These products demonstrated exceptional durability in the harsh coastal environment, helping the building withstand wind and waves while ensuring an attractive appearance and a comfortable interior.

 

 

After much hard work, the first stage of the community centre was successfully completed, becoming an important part of residents' everyday lives. Whether for celebrations or education and training, it became an ideal place for the community to come together. The project's second stage, the lifeguard club's new building, was also completed and officially opened. It includes a kitchen, accommodation, equipment storage, a training room and a medical clinic, with an outdoor viewing deck for monitoring the beach and holding social events.

 

 

Sunset Beach lifeguard club president Malcolm Beattie was delighted with the result and expressed his deep gratitude to James Hardie and the other donors. To thank them, the club installed sponsor signage inside and outside the building and acknowledged their generous donations on social media, its official website and in its annual reports.

 

As more people choose to settle in Port Waikato and work in nearby towns such as Pokeno, Paerata, Huntly and Te Kauwhata, the seaside town is growing rapidly. Demand for the lifeguard club's services is therefore increasing, and the community centre's role is becoming ever more important. The new centre offers local residents a warm sense of belonging and lays a solid foundation for the entire community's future development.

 

 

As Sunset Beach lifeguard club president Malcolm Beattie said, the value of this rebuilding project extends far beyond the cost of the building itself. It shows how a team can forge ahead in the face of challenges and ultimately achieve a shared goal. Today, the new community centre is a source of pride for Port Waikato, bringing boundless energy and hope to this beautiful stretch of coast.

 

A building is more than a physical space offering shelter from the elements; it also carries deep cultural meaning and social value. When you need support, James Hardie is there for you.