About 50 people gathered on Saturday to celebrate the official opening of the $1.5 million Warrington Surf Lifesaving Club building.
Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki chairman Matapura Ellison welcomed everyone on behalf of the mana whenua of the rohe pōtae (land).
"We pay respect firstly to those who have departed, of whichever waka one might have come, one might belong to, to this whenua here, Okahau.
"Let it be a sheltering haven for everyone."
Warrington Surf Lifesaving Club chairwoman Isabella Aldrich said being part of the group meant not only learning rescue skills, but also forming connections and relationships that often last a lifetime.
She recognised the Moana Rua Ladies Surf Life Saving Club as the foundation of the current club.
"In its beginnings, it was a club to support and empower women in surf lifesaving.
"That legacy of support, inclusion and opportunity remains a strength of our club today."
She also paid tribute to life members such as Arnold Jones, who was present at the opening.
The new building would sustain the lifesaving community for years to come, she said.
Surf Lifesaving New Zealand chairman Kelvyn Eglinton said the club’s simple but functional design would meet the needs of the community as well as those saved by patrols.
"We all need a home and as an organisation, we talk about ourselves being a whānau and a whare like this, for us, is something that is really important."
Committee member Naomi Ingram acknowledged the many people involved with the organisation over the decades, including those such as Pat and Gil Ellison and Duke and Molly Gillies, who helped build the former A-Frame base in the 1980s.
She also acknowledged the work of Wayne Fa’asenga who designed the new clubrooms and was also the build project manager.
The structure includes storage, a three-bay garage, changing area with showers, kitchen, observation deck and a dedicated first aid space.
The new facility also features a basalt kōhatu (touchstone) sourced by lifeguards from the shore and placed on a plinth created by Steven Ozanne using timber from the original A-Frame.
"It stands as a touchstone smoothed over generations and the idea is you might come back here in another 30 years and it will be a little bit smoother but you will ground yourself by touching it as you are going into the club."
A whakataukī (proverb) inscribed next to the stone was a work in progress and members would be invited to suggest improvements, Assoc Professor Ingram said.
Following a blessing of the new building, those gathered took a tour of the clubrooms before taking part in a shared meal.
The project was made possible by grants and donations from individuals and funders including the Otago Community Trust, Oceana Gold, Alexander McMillan Trust, Harry J Wilson Trust, One Foundation, Waikouaiti Coast Community Board and Dulux.
