Upgrading Onemana
Surf Club

Surf Life Saving at Onemana beach is an essential service that both locals and holiday goers alike greatly appreciate and need. However, the SLSC building that acted as a headquarters for the Surf Life Savers was ageing, consequently reducing their capacity, safety, efficiency, training ability and overall level of service at the beach.
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Some of the key issues the SLSC building faced were:
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• Not enough space for surf lifesaving training and emergency equipment;
• No specialised first aid room;
• The surge in junior membership meant the Club outgrew the old facility; and
• There were limited views at elevation down the beach for guards on duty.
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In response to these problems, the Club proposed to upgrade the building to substantially improve its functionality and to better meet the needs of club members and the public. These changes included an internal reconfiguration of the existing building, adding a second level to the building and including accessibility ramps from the surrounding beachfront reserve.
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4Sight worked collaboratively with the Club and their architect to create a design that minimised visual impact and created a great community resource. We also took on the role of working with other supporting specialists to ensure a consistent and coherent approach to the project.

In order for the building changes to be successful, it was crucial to obtain buy-in from local residents. We took a leading role when it came to this, and due to our engagement with the community, we were able to achieve an overwhelming amount of local support for the proposal and provide a forum for those with objections to work through their concerns.

Also, given the long history of occupation at the beach and the presence of Māori archaeological remains, it was critical to develop a partnership with iwi and involve them in the design from the beginning and facilitate the opportunity to exercise kaitiakitanga.
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Our ‘up-front’ investment with iwi and the tight-knit community meant that we could lodge consents with written support and have the archaeological and resource consent permits processed on a non-notified basis.

Throughout the project, we demonstrated our abilities to guide the Client through the RMA process, effectively engage with stakeholders, prepare quality consent applications and pro-actively correspond with Council representatives, all of which culminated in a successful consenting outcome that was greatly appreciated by the Club.

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The build has now been completed, and on the 4th April 2021, it was our pleasure to attend the grand opening of the new building and share it with the Onemana community.