Aotea Sea Scouts

A notable historic landmark on the edge of the Manukau harbour - the Aotea Sea Scouts building - is about to undergo an important transformation thanks to a PlaceMakers Foundation Big Build Grant that will see their kitchen and bathroom facilities upgraded for the first time in over 40 years.

Used frequently by the 30 - 60 Aotea Sea Scouts, the building has stood the test of time after being constructed in 1911 and taken over by the group in 1967. Built into the basement area of the original building, the kitchen and bathroom facilities desperately require renovation to meet the needs of the Scouts, and enable them to also hire out the facility to other community groups to raise funds.

Stephen Lasham, one of the Aotea Sea Scout leaders, says that creating safer, roomier and more functional kitchen and bathroom has been a goal for a long time.

“From our very unsafe Zip to the pokey kitchen and only one shared bathroom, we simply can’t believe what a gift the PlaceMakers Foundation grant will be in helping us improve this facility for our whole community to enjoy,” said Mr Lasham. “We’ve felt a bit embarrassed by the state of our current facilities but thanks to this Big Build Grant we can proudly hire out our building to help fund our activities and allow even more local kids to participate in Sea Scouts.”

The upgrade project will take 2-3 weeks to complete, starting in the April school holidays. 10 expert tradespeople are lending their skills along with 10-12 PlaceMakers team members and the Aotea Sea Scouts are looking forward to firing up a BBQ at the end of the project to thank the people who have helped make this project happen.

Bruce McEwen, PlaceMakers Chief Executive and Foundation Chair, says this particular challenge will be both challenging and rewarding for the team involved. “This is our first project involving a historic site so it’s an exciting challenge and we know how much of a difference it will make immediately for the Onehunga community.”