Men's Shed Whanganui looking for new home

Ivan Stick says suitable buildings are "as scarce as hen's teeth". Photo / Bevan Conley

The Whanganui Men's Shed is a couple of months away from having nowhere to call home.

The trust, which does things like woodwork, metalwork and other handiwork, needs to find new premises because the space it uses on Wicksteed St is to be used for a new community hub, police station and courthouse - with construction expected next year.

The Men's Shed has been given until January 15 to move out.

"There have been rumours about it for a long time, and last month two demolition firms came through looking to see what was salvageable," shed manager Ivan Stick said.

"We know it's happening and we know our building is going to be flattened."

A new facility would need to be large, Stick said.

"At the moment we have 330 square metres and it's not big enough for us."

The organisation, which has about 50 members each year, was great for people both mentally and physically, Stick said.

"Instead of retiring and just sitting in an armchair all day, it keeps your mind and hands going.

"We do quite a lot of community work and we put a charge on private work. What we make out of those jobs keeps us afloat."

That meant they didn't ask for or get given grants, Stick said.

The shed operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

"You never know what's going to come in the door next. It's 'Can you fix this?' or 'Can you make this?'," Stick said.

Almost always the response is yes or "we'll give it a go", Stick said.

"We make [coffins], and we do a lot of old furniture repairs that no one else wants to know anything about."

The Mens Shed's George Bowers, Ken Mair, and then-Whanganui mayor Annette Main at the opening of the facility in 2012. Photo / Bevan Conley

The land is currently owned by the Ministry of Justice and the Men's Shed, along with the surrounding buildings, is leased by Tupoho.

Tupoho chair Ken Mair said it was exploring other options in terms of a new Men's Shed location.

"They do a wonderful service to our community.

"We took what we thought was a compassionate approach 10-odd years ago and said 'there's a place here, you don't have to pay for anything'.

"They decided they should pay something for it, something small, and they've been there ever since."

Stick said they had been keeping their eyes and ears open but suitable buildings were "as scarce as hen's teeth".

He said maybe they would be able to get a bit of council land, rent it for a low price and put a building on it.

"Who knows, something might pop up. It could be a case of storing our gear in the meantime."

Stick said he knew the Wanganui Turners and Woodcraft Group was looking for a new home and the Rotary club needed a place for its book storage.

"If the three of us can put in a concentrated effort maybe we can have a hub-type thing."

Developments at the site

The new police station and courthouse are part of a wider site plan for Te Puna Hāpori, a working partnership made up of Whanganui iwi, New Zealand Police, the Ministry of Justice, and the Whanganui District Council.

Te Puna Hāpori will eventually create a community hub that provides a range of whānau-centric community and wellbeing services.

Early plans include the existing Rangahaua marae, the provision of justice services (new court and police facilities) and iwi hauora (health and wellbeing) and social services.

Construction is expected to start by mid-2023.

The land was purchased by the Ministry of Justice from the Ministry of Education in 2019 and is part of the settlement negotiations currently taking place between the Crown and the Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiation Trust.

Mair said his aspiration was for the land to eventually return to iwi and hapū ownership.

Systemic changes to the judicial system also needed to be made.

Working with entities like the police and the Ministry of Justice was important, but so was working within iwi, hapū and community, he said.

"It's critical that we give the directions in regard to what we see as the best way forward.

"We've allowed for too long external Crown agencies to decide what's best for us and to decide from Wellington.

"Those calls should be made by our community."