My Perfect Weekend: Sam Hardy talks fitting in family time around his business and Sunday night roast

Sam Hardy discusses what a family-filled weekend away from the construction site is like. Photo / Bevan Conley

Each week, we speak to a member of the Whanganui community to ask what their perfect weekend in the region would be. This week, Eva de Jong catches up with Sam Hardy, owner of the Hardy Construction company.

Friday night is normally just a chilled and relaxed evening with the family at home after a hectic week. If it’s winter time, I enjoy sitting down and watching one of the Super Rugby Pacific games.

Saturday mornings are generally pretty busy with children’s sport.

I’m off to Springvale Park for my 8-year-old’s Marist game and my wife’s down at the netball courts with my daughter. Then we meet after that to watch our eldest son play in Whanganui Collegiate’s First XV rugby team. By the time Saturday sport is finished, it’s 3.30pm and you’re physically exhausted and pretty worn-out.

I enjoy going to Jolt for a coffee and taking my kids there for hot chocolate, or going to The Citadel for lunch, also a great place to visit.

In the evening, I like to have some close friends around home for a barbecue on a Saturday night.

On Sunday mornings I like to get up and cook a nice big Kiwi breakfast. We’ll sit down with the family and I’ll get the chance to catch up on the newspaper.

Then I might go out for a game of golf. I’m a member at Castlecliff Golf Club, so I like to support them and head out there with friends. I have also been out to the Belmont course as well. I switch between them.

I enjoy spending time with my children on the weekends because with the hustle and bustle of owning my own business, it means I get home and it’s usually just dinner time with the kids in the week. I try to make the most of the time I get with them on the weekends.

We might go for a family trip with the dogs to South Beach or a visit to the park to kick a ball around.

I always look forward to Sunday evening as well - cooking up a leg of lamb in the afternoon and then having a nice roast dinner with the whole family.

I don’t mind where I go in Whanganui. I love Whanganui because I was born here; anywhere I go here is beautiful.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.