What’s been happening at the Marine Centre? Quite a lot, actually.
TL;DR: After several months of work behind the scenes, an important approval has been secured for Te Pae ō Ōruamōkai. The upper-floor restaurant fit-out can now move ahead, Hobsonville Yacht Club is preparing its first community Have a Go Day, and more marine recreation activities are being planned. The next phase of bringing the Marine Centre to life is underway.
It’s been a little while since our last update from Te Pae ō Ōruamōkai (Upper Waitematā Marine Centre).
While things may have seemed quiet, there has been plenty happening behind the scenes – and we now have some good news to share.
Restaurant fit-out can move ahead
Over recent months, the Trust has been working with Auckland Council and the Upper Harbour Local Board to resolve the approvals needed to progress the restaurant on the upper floor of the Marine Centre.
This resulted in a significant delay to the original programme.
On 27 August, the Upper Harbour Local Board gave its final approval, allowing the restaurant arrangements to move forward.
The restaurant operator is now on site and the fit-out is getting underway.
The team is working towards opening in the first part of December, all going well. There is still a lot to achieve between now and then, so we’ll share a confirmed opening date once the programme is further advanced.
There will also be more news about the restaurant itself in the coming weeks.
Have a Go at the Marine Centre
There’s plenty happening downstairs too.
Hobsonville Yacht Club will host a Have-a-Go Day at Te Pae ō Ōruamōkai on 18 October, from 11am–3pm.
It will be a chance for the community to come down, meet the HYC team and learn more about opportunities to get involved in marine recreation.
The Club is also developing plans for a wider programme of community marine activities, expected to include kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), waka ama, dragon boating and more.
For Have-a-Go Day updates and information about getting involved, visit https://hycnz.org.nz/.
Bringing the Centre to life
Opening Te Pae ō Ōruamōkai was an important milestone. But opening a building and bringing it to life are two different things.
That’s the phase we’re moving into now.
The vision for the Marine Centre has always been about creating more opportunities for people to connect with the Upper Waitematā through clubs, recreation, community activity and the spaces within the Centre itself.
Over the coming months, we expect there will be much more to share as these different parts start coming together.
Built on community effort
We’d like to thank the Upper Harbour Local Board and Auckland Council for working constructively with the Trust to help resolve the issues that had delayed this next stage.
We also want to acknowledge the many volunteers who have helped make Te Pae ō Ōruamōkai possible.
The Marine Centre is a community project established and governed by a charitable trust. Behind the finished building are many thousands of hours contributed by volunteer trustees, clubs, supporters and community members.
That effort continues today.
Thank you to everyone who has followed the journey, supported the Centre and asked how things are progressing.
Things are moving again… and we look forward to sharing more soon.
Nga mihi nui
