Waihī Beach pensioner flats demolition: Writing was on the wall but still brings grief

‘’If the flood had happened in the middle of the night, we would have been annihilated.’’

Brian Thorne understands the Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s recent decision to demolish seven of the Waihī Beach elder housing units after the May flooding swept through Stafford Clark Court.

‘’I understand the decision, the council had to do it. We have elderly people there, some with walkers. If this had happened at night it would have been a much different story.’’

The Waihī Beach flooding turned Brian’s entire life upside down.

He lost the pensioner unit he loved when the waters rose to his chest as he and his son raced to save possessions, before scrambling to safety.

Now he’s at Lee St pension flats in Te Puke.

While he has a roof over his head — which he is grateful for — he finds himself thinking about his old life by the beach.

‘’It’s upset my whole life, really. I often think about it. I’m happy to stay here but I would have been happy to stay there (in Waihī Beach) forever. If the council had upgraded the flats, I’d be back there, for sure.’’

His flat was the lowest of the Stafford Clark Court 19 units of the sloping site between Jenkinson St and Beach Rd.

The clean-up after the flood.

Brian had expressed his wish to return to his home once the damage was assessed and repaired. All is not lost though, he’s on the list to return should a vacancy come up, as well as the elder housing which is being built beside Diggelmann Park.

One other council-flat flood victim is in Te Puke as well.

‘’The council have done so much for us, I can’t complain. They sorted all of us out with accommodation. I consider myself lucky to have a roof over my head.’’

The flash flooding impacted dozens of homes including the pensioner flats. All tenants were evacuated at the time and council found homes for all who required help.

Council’s team leader property Nigel Sadlier says the decision to demolish some of the units was not made lightly.

“The seven units not being rebuilt are lower down on the site, which makes them subject to surface overflows as well as flooding.

“We have explored all our options, knowing these units are homes. Ultimately, the tenants’ safety is our number one priority. We are not willing to put people back in these units after the significant weather event, after revising the risks for these homes.”

Those units deemed safe have had their tenants move back in last month.

Properties have been stripped of all damaged wall linings, insulation, cabinetry, and bathroom fixtures – all of which have been replaced as new.

“We are comfortable moving tenants back into these repaired homes because they are higher up. Their flood risk is reduced, when compared to the units that are to be demolished. Minor improvements to the drain will also further mitigate the risk,” Nigel says.

The seven units will be demolished when a suitable contractor has been found.