It’s no secret that in New Zealand we love our water sports. Surrounded by shorelines of breathtaking beauty so whether it’s sailing, kayaking, surfing, or avid spectating, water sports are a core part of our culture.
The Royal Akarana Yacht Club was established in 1895 and is one of NZ’s oldest yacht clubs. They have helped produce some of our top Olympians and champion sailors. In 2012 its members voted to develop a new marine based multi-sports facility – the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre. ColorCote is proud to have been a part of this project.
A significant community project
The Centre creates a hub for the water sports community. It is truly a multi-user facility, with 800m2 of training and educational areas, event spaces that can host over 300 people and facilities for hosting national and international events. It’s brought a new energy and activity level to the area, promoting a healthy community.
The design of the building encourages the integration of participants with members of the community and easy access to the water. The community now has more opportunity to participate in water sports or just watch and take in a spectacular view.
In addition to being home of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club the Centre houses other sports clubs including Auckland Sailing Club, Ocean Blue Sports Club, Sailability, Auckland Canoe Club, Auckland City Tri Club, and the University of Auckland.
A boon for student life
The support of the University of Auckland in the facility is invaluable. The University’s clubs are part of the marine community, contributing to student growth in water sports with access to more equipment, water, and the available expertise of other clubs.
“Participating in sport and recreation whilst at University has been proven to help students be more successful. Providing an environment which includes sport and recreation opportunities helps students make friends, reduce stress, improve wellbeing and improve employability,” says Louis Rattray, Associate Director Campus Life: Sport and Recreation.
“The support and investment from the University of Auckland is hugely significant in helping us to deliver on the Centre’s aspirations – to be an inclusive, proactive and vibrant community hub”, says Andrew Brookland, General Manager Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust.
Grand location
Okahu Bay offers a natural stadium, making it the ideal site for the Centre. The existing wharf and breakwater create a protected amphitheater for water activities and a place for spectators to sit back and enjoy.
The Hyundai Marine Sports Centre opened its doors in September 2019. Since then they have hosted one of the best Olympic Class World Championships and seen tens of thousands of people through their doors. The restaurant and conferencing facilities are up and running adding hospitality options to a spectacular location.
Construction on the coastline
Fletcher Construction started on the project in May 2017, using Framecad’s advanced cold-formed steel system to deliver quicker construction. Because CFS frames are pre-assembled, strong and straight, and clearly identifiable, generally no on-site welding or cutting is required. The erection process is fast and simple, offering a much more predictable construction schedule and less on-site cost than traditional construction methods.
In preparation, 100 moored boats were removed, the westside marina added, and mussels were seeded to improve the quality of ocean life.
ColorCote AlumiGard was the perfect choice for the facility’s roof. AlumiGard is the toughest roofing material, suitable for the harsh coastline conditions. Salty air, water, wind, corrosion – these impacts on a roof’s performance are all heightened when on the coast. AlumiGard won’t rust and can withstand severe marine environments right next to the water.
For a $13 million facility, looks are of the utmost importance and the swooping white roof on the Sports Centre is no exception. With an AlumiGard roof the topcoat is baked on a polyester primer so the colour resists UV damage and retains its glossiness.
The beautiful white roofing of the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre will continue to be the icing on the cake of an incredible addition to the community for generations to enjoy for years.
