Mangawhai Shed group moving to permanent home at Domain

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A blossoming partnership between a public facility and local club has resulted in an exciting relocation for a handy band of skilled locals, with the shift bringing mutual benefits, including for the local community.

Mangawhai Shed Inc will be moving from its current country abode into town, after Mangawhai Domain Society (MDS) members voted a resounding ‘yes’ at their recent AGM to allow the club a workspace on the grounds.

The Shed had presented MDS a proposal for the possible relocation earlier in July, but had to wait until the Domain’s September meeting for the verdict, with the agreement sanctioned on November 3 by MDS chair Robert de Koning and Shed founder and chair Stephen Mackay signing the official papers.

Mackay says he is trying to contain his enthusiasm but says he and the Shed team are ‘totally overjoyed’.

“We are absolutely excited to announce the Shed now has a new permanent home at the Domain!” he says. “It’s been a long time coming, been a lot of discussion, but it’s all been good, just need to acknowledge each step as there is still lots to do… it’s a special day.”

Mangawhai Shed offers like-minded locals who are interested in wood or metalwork as well as other handy creative trades, a social place to ply their craft. The team also apply themselves to a number of community projects including Christmas parade floats, repairing furniture for local charities, constructing pest bait stations and live cat traps for conservation groups, and just recently erecting a shed for the Village’s community garden.

The impending relocation has sparked the enthusiasm of many in Mangawhai, who have already signed up their time, skills and machinery to conduct site surveys, draw up plans and excavate land, with the latest volunteer, Grant van Dalsum, director of Mangawhai business Spiral Enterprises, offering to build the first 80 square metre shed.

“Grant is the supplier of the kitset shed we were aiming to get, and upon hearing about our plight about how we are wondering how to afford all this stuff, he said ‘buy the kitset and I’ll put it up for you’… he’s just given away thousands of dollars… that is extraordinary!”

Mackay says. “When you have people doing that, it just brings forward that day when we can have a grand opening and get on with the job we want to do, to operate as an effective construction zone and provide a full range of craft activities… its part of the magic of Mangawhai.”

A container to store the Shed’s numerous donated items will arrive at the new site in the next few days, followed ‘hopefully by earthworks’ Mackay says, and the team will also start to focus on raising essential funding and ‘find  a way to put in a concrete base’. Domain chair Robert de Koning says at the AGM members were positive and open to the idea of the Shed moving in, saying ‘we believed there was space for them here, a good location’.

“The whole community will have an advantage for them being here, they’ll be closer to the Village and the Heads so will attract more members and they also have plans to combine their work with Mangawhai school which is important for us as the Domain acts as an overflow sports field for the school,” he says. “The Domain is a community ground and should be shared with as many people as possible… we welcome them.”

Shed members will be able to help out with minor maintenance at the Domain which also has plans for a few makeover changes, Koning says, including a refreshing paint job, extending the car park and, in collaboration with the ‘Trackies’, a new pathway linking the Anchorage to Moir Street.

“The big one for us will be improving the surface of the back fields so we can have cricket games and allow the soccer clubs to have two additional fields for tournaments. So a lot of positive stuff is happening, we get good feedback from the community… and we’re looking to promote the facility more.”

Mackay says the Shed team ‘were astounded by the amount of support’ from the Domain.

“We want to acknowledge the Domain committee, especially the efforts of Robert and secretary Bart Peters,” he says. “We’re looking for a successful partnership in the future, it is taking off from here… many hurdles of money and logistics have yet to be overcome but the magic has started, this is when it gets good.”

The Mangawhai Shed also like to acknowledge the many who have donated ‘tons of equipment’ as well as generous supporters and volunteers: Grant Van Dalsum (Spiral Enterprises, building kitset shed), Hemi Meagher (MEC Electrical Ltd, electrical supply connection), Matt Wiley (Pacific Coast Surveys Ltd, geotechnical survey), Adam Booth (Pacific Coast Surveys Ltd, site plan and site survey), Corinne Smith (Altitude Advisors, financial services), Viranda (earthworks and cash donation).

„ Interested in lending skills, knowledge or a handy hand? Able to swing a hammer or lift timber to help put together the shed? Contact Steve Mackay via mangawhaished.org or through the Shed’s Facebook page.

A special day’ as the partnership between Mangawhai Domain and the Shed is signified by Shed guy Barry Benning turning the first plod of earth on the new site, watched by (from left) Domain secretary Bart Peters, Grant van Dalsum, Shed chair Stephen Mackay, Domain chair Robert de Koning, and Shed members Miguel Hamber and Rex Haves. PHOTO/JULIA WADE