The couple met at a water-skiing event in Europe when they were teenagers, but lost touch for more than 30 years until Debae decided to track down his former teenage love.
They are managing the hotel on behalf of owner Riccardo Polacco, a Venetian hotelier who saw the abandoned Grand for sale on the internet, liked its Mediterranean-style architecture and bought it so he would have an excuse to make regular visits to New Zealand, a country he had fallen in love with.
"The hotel has a colourful history," Debae says. "It was built in 1882, but burned down twice before it was finally rebuilt in 1931, so solidly that it has remained."
Helensville was once a thriving community that grew so fast it boasted a maternity hospital, imposing bank and post office buildings, and a regular, well-used rail service.
Sadly the railway station across the road, which once provided a constant stream of customers, is no longer in use.
Debae and van der Merwe plan to target the weekend crowd.
"Helensville is a beautiful destination for a day trip, and so easy to come over to the hotel for brunch or afternoon tea, just as people used to do," Debae says.
He hopes that other attractions in the area will draw visitors to the hotel, which has had all its bedrooms refurbished and dining room and bar restored.
There are plans to add to the charm, and though the couple are not consciously trying to build a little Italy in Helensville, the walled garden out the back of the hotel is having a much-needed makeover with a distinct Mediterranean feel and Debae expects it will see a lot of use come summer.
The Grand has so far relied on word of mouth and the restaurant has been busy.
But the pair would like to generate more traffic through the 10 bedrooms upstairs, which are spacious and rather grand compared with their modern equivalent. Separate men's and women's bathrooms have been retained for the rooms without an en suite as a nod to the hotel's reputation as a respectable establishment.
"Unfortunately the people who rented the hotel previously tore out a lot of the beautiful wooden joinery and burned it to keep warm, but we've managed to save some of the original features such as the wardrobes and heavy wooden doors," Debae says.
With the Rugby World Cup looming he's keen to attract visitors to Helensville. The Italian, French and South African rugby teams and their supporters would obviously receive some warm hospitality and in their own languages. As would anyone involved in car racing or water skiing - Debae has an impressive collection of black-and-white photos from his Formula 1 days, displayed in the newly opened bar.
"We hope more people will see Helensville as a destination, not just during the rugby. We're contributing to the local community and employing local people. We're living at the hotel so we really have joined the community and want to be part of its renaissance."
Back in favour
Helensville got its name from John McLeod and his wife Helen, who built the first kauri villa there in 1862. The house overlooked the mill John established with his brother Issac and became known as "Helen's Villa".
Kauri milling kicked things off in Helensville, followed by a burst of economic activity around dairying when the Kaipara Dairy Company was established in 1911. The hot springs at Parakai, 5km away, also proved a popular destination.
By the 1980s the dairy factory was closed and Helensville was all but forgotten. But it has become a favoured weekend destination for the hot springs and Muriwai beach, sky diving, motocross, mountain bike trails and three golf courses, as well as the unique character of the many well-preserved villas in the town.
