Pukehina Surf Rescue Club New Build Project

Pukehina Surf Rescue Club is a small club with a BIG job. Covering ~50km of coastline and with a wide catchment of members from the local community and as far away as Rotorua and Tokoroa, our focus is on PREVENTING drowning and educating the beach-going public. This focus on prevention has resulted in the number of rescues reducing over time.

The current building is no longer fit for purpose. It doesn't meet building codes and it's too small for the club membership, resulting in lack of indoor training and first aid facilities and equipment that has to sit outside, exposed to the elements. The functionality is poor for a rescue organisation and essential rescue equipment is not easily accessible. In addition, there is restricted visibility of the Waihi Estuary Bar, where many accidents occur.

The club has received resource consent from the council, has undertaken preliminary drawings and the high level costings obtained. An independent feasibility study has been funded and this has confirmed the need for a new building. The project is now GO. It is estimated it will take 2 years to raise the funding necessary for this project and although 60% of the funding for this approx $3.6m project will be provided by large public grants, the remaining 40% will be a mix of smaller grants, sponsorship and goodwill of people who see the need to support such a project.