Port of Tauranga today announced it is the new naming rights sponsor of the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre which will serve as a hub for surf lifesaving operations in the eastern region.
The new centre is close to completion at Golf Road, Mount Maunganui and has the capability to act as a rescue coordination point for any major beach and surf rescues undertaken by Surf Life Saving Eastern Region, which comprises 19 surf clubs from Hot Water Beach in Coromandel to Tairawhiti/Gisborne.
The building will also accommodate clubrooms, offices and storage space for Mount Maunganui Bridge Club, Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The Bridge Club has had clubrooms on the site since the 1970s.
Chief Executive Officer,
Port of Tauranga
Port of Tauranga Chief Executive, Leonard Sampson, says the Company is delighted to announce the partnership.
“The Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre will provide a purpose-built, well-equipped base for the many volunteers and staff that do an extraordinary job in keeping people safe on the beach and in the water,” he says.
“The Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre will be there to support these first responders whenever they need to act in an emergency or coordinate a large-scale search and rescue.
“Port of Tauranga is deeply connected to the wider Bay of Plenty region and this is a very tangible way for us to support the communities living on its coast. We look forward to a long and enduring relationship with the community organisations that will call the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre home.”
Donal Boyle, Trustee of the Omanu Beach Charitable Trust, says the support of Port of Tauranga is a game-changer for surf lifesaving in the region.
“It means that we can get on with saving lives and supporting our many volunteers, without worrying about the ongoing costs of running the centre. The backing of Port of Tauranga, such an iconic company in this region and nationally, is very much appreciated by our community,” he says.
The Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre will be officially opened in the next few months and will be fully operational in time for the 2022/2023 summer season.
About the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre
The Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre is being developed by the Omanu Beach Charitable Trust on Tauranga City Council-owned land in Golf Road, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga.
The 1,300 sqm regional rescue centre will be occupied by: Surf Life Saving New Zealand national and regional staff, and Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club and Mount Maunganui Bridge Club.
The facility will be used for:
- Offices and training space for up to 50 surf lifesaving staff and volunteers
- Storing critical rescue equipment including IRBs and jet skis
- A communications/emergency coordination centre for major ocean or beach rescues in the region
- Storage for Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club
- Clubrooms, competition venue and training centre for the bridge club
- Meetings and functions.
Construction of the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre was funded by the Kanoa Regional Economic Development & Investment Fund administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment with additional funding from TECT, along with the generosity of local suppliers and supporters.
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