Million-dollar dumps: Boating club struggles to maintain heritage clubhouse due to 1923 law
In its heyday, the Takapuna Boating Club’s (TBC) Bayswater clubhouse was used for all sorts of social gatherings, including regattas, dances, ratepayer polling, card game nights, school reunions, wrestling and boxing tournaments.
But since the TBC shifted to Hurstmere Rd inTakapuna around the late 1960s, and again to its current clubhouse on The Strand around 1990, the three-storey Bayswater clubhouse has fallen out of use and become what the club’s vice commodore James Jordan described as “a bit of an eyesore”.
Despite its rugged appearance and the need for some repairs to the decking, the building is structurally sound, and the TBC has ambitious plans to restore the building to its former glory.
However, the Auckland Harbour Board and Takapuna Borough Council Empowering Act 1923 limits what the building can be used for.
It is hoped a change of wording in the Act would allow the rest of the building to be used by tenants offering other activities to help provide the club with a small income to help cover the building’s expenses and future maintenance, while improving the public‘s use of the area.
Click 'read more' for my full report.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
.
Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
-
84.6% Yes
-
13.9% No
-
1.4% Other - I'll share below
It’s Riddle Time – You Might Need an Extra Cup of Coffee!
Nobody has ever walked this way. Which way is it?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.