Initial plans have been drawn up for a Marine Sports Recreation Centre at the end of Launch Road to replace the old Hobsonville Yacht Club building. Note that this is very much at the proposal stage.

Strachan Group Architects have put together a concept that combines a large rowing and yachting storage facility with communal areas on the first floor. The idea is for it to be an ‘elegant shed’, positioned to follow the contour of the land/water edge and to maintain the sea view from Launch Road.

The pic shows an impression of how the building will look, as if seen from the roundabout at the bottom of the hill. The proposed plan allows the floor to be anchored on the land with just one row of foundation piles set into the seabed to allow the structure to cantilever out, creating the impression of a floating building.

A public wooden jetty will stretch 43 metres out from the shore, leading to a gangway and a floating launch pontoon positioned where there’ll be enough water depth for boats at low tide.

The public walking/biking path that currently leads from the roundabout to the rest of the Bomb Point walkway will be still be there for all to use. Consent will be applied for in several weeks. Time frame, budget and funding have yet to be finalised and it will probably be a year or more before building begins.