Western News: June 23, 2022

Thursday June 23 2022
3
Hornets’ new clubrooms set to open
• By Chris Barclay
THE END game is in sight
for the Halswell Hornets as
new clubrooms are set to
open at noon on Saturday, the
culmination of a long-term postearthquake
construction goal.
A $2 million project at
Halswell Domain is on track to
be showcased when the Hornets
host Riccarton in the latest
round of the Canterbury Rugby
League premiership on Saturday.
While rugby league is the focal
point of the clubrooms, karate,
softball and netball are among
other sports expected to utilise
the facility.
“It’s been a 10-year exercise. It
goes right back to when we had
the first earthquakes in 2010,”
said senior committee member
Colin Fenwick.
“We went through the process
with the insurance company and
the sad part about it was every
time we had another shake, the
clubrooms were damaged even
further.
“It got to the stage where we
decided to build new clubrooms
provided we get the insurance
money.”
The construction started in
April last year after a $1.9 million
payout was secured, so fortunately
the project was not compromised
by increased costs of
material and supply chain issues.
PROCESS: Halswell Hornets Rugby League Football Club
committee member Colin Fenwick in front of the new
clubrooms that will be opened on Saturday.
Funding was also secured from
the Lottery Grants Board, Rata
Foundation and Canterbury
West Coast Air Rescue Trust so
there is no debt associated with
the venture.
“Without them coming on
board in the last 12 months
we wouldn’t have got it across
the line,” said club stalwart Jeff
Whittaker.
The Hornets earthquake-damaged
clubrooms will be demolished
in the next 4-6 months and
some club memorabilia
will be transferred to the
new headquarters.
However, Fenwick
cautioned against overpopulating
the main
room with Hornets
history.
“We don’t want to
clutter the building,
there’s a huge amount
of memorabilia, there’s cups for
miles. Some of them are probably
obsolete now,” he said, adding
special wallpaper has been commissioned
to depict highlights of
the club’s history.
“It’s got to be a little bit neutral
to some degree I suppose.
“We’ll be going to the outside
market and having functions
there, 21st’s, weddings . . . you
name it,” he said.
“We’re hoping to cater for
those people and partially
have it as a business moving
forward. It’ll cost
$70-80,000 a year to run
the place.”
From a rugby league
perspective, the new
headquarters include two
Jeff changing facilities for visiting
teams and the match
Whittaker
officials, as the home side
will continue to use refurbished
sheds nearby.
“The Halswell premiers want
to stick to their old changing
area, they’re quite happy to
keep that one behind the new
clubrooms,” Whittaker said.
Megan
Woods
MP for Wigram
Please get in touch with my office if you
need any assistance on 03 338 6347 or
megan.woodsmp@parliament.govt.nz
My office is open to the public
10 am - 3 pm on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Appointment only outside of those hours.
/MeganWoodsWigram
@megan_woods
/megancwoods
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