A new commemorative park in Titahi Bay was officially opened on Saturday (2 December).
The park, in the middle of the Whitehouse Rd shops, replaces the Marines Hall, which was demolished in 2021 after it was closed down in 2012.
Designed by Boffa Miskell and constructed by Higgins, the new community space balances community aspirations alongside a partnership with mana whenua Ngāti Toa - the design intention was to create a civic area, reflecting what was previously there and making potential for future use.
A new toilet block also went in last year and, with the library nearby, it creates new promise for community use.
Features include illuminated bench seats, stage and lighting, while the timber clad portals mirror the outline of the former hall, used as a movie theatre and to put on productions since the 1940s.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says it is exciting to see the park opened in time for the upcoming Titahi Bay Christmas Fair, and hopes it will be a gathering place and activation point for events, recreation and relaxation.
"It’s taken some time to get here, but what a space we have now," she says.
"It’s new and light and bright and inviting for residents and visitors. I’m keenly aware of the history of this place, with the Marines and the hall being part of the suburb’s furniture for some time, but it’s been important to look forward and realise the potential of this land.
"In our city we’re blessed with fantastic spaces that help make Porirua such a liveable city. Titahi Bay has been lacking a centre for some time, and I hope that we have filled that vacancy with this beautiful commemorative park."
Construction works to build the new Titahi Bay Commemorative Community Park next to the retail area in Whitehouse Road are about to start. It’s been a long process and you can find out how this point was reached further down the page.
When will the park be complete?
The works are expected to be complete sometime in July 2023, although this is subject to weather. New temporary fencing will be put up at the site the week beginning 20 February and physical works will start at the site the following week.
Who is undertaking the works?
Higgins Contracting Ltd.
What is being built?
The new community space extends from the boat shed canopies and existing paving through to the Titahi Bay Library.
The space blends into the existing cobblestone paving height and features new gardens and plantings, informal seating areas and activity space. There will be LED lighting on many of the structures and within some of the seating units. A power switchboard is also being installed to enable power supply for community events in the future.
How will the retail area be affected by the construction works?
It is our goal to keep disruptions and negative impacts to a minimum throughout construction. We will be working with the Higgins team to minimise dust, noise and vibration around the work zone, along with the loss of carparking, and ensure ongoing and safe pedestrian access.
Access to the library will be maintained throughout, and there will be full access to the retail area.
The footpath beside the bakery is expected to be closed for the duration of the construction works. Access to the new toilet facility will be off Niblick Lane and there will also be a temporary pathway behind the library (see image below).
Later in the project, the four parallel carparks beside the construction work area will like closed for some periods.
Site access and contractor parking:
The Higgins team will use Niblick Lane as the main site entry and for parking.
Who to contact:
If you have any questions about the space and ongoing work, contact our customer services team on 04 237 5089 or email [email protected]
We thank you for your patience as this work is carried out.
The Marines Hall was built in Titahi Bay during World War II (1943) as a recreation hall for the 1500 US Marines stationed in the area. The building was used for its original purpose for less than a year before the Marines returned home.
The building became a local government asset in 1954 and was used as a place for the community to meet and celebrate. In 1976 Porirua Little Theatre occupied the building and called this building home until 2012.
In 2012 the hall was deemed structurally unsafe and was closed. A year later the building was also deemed at earthquake risk. Porirua City Council voted in 2018 that consent be sought for it to be demolished.
Several groups looked into securing funding to restore the hall, but the building work required was too extensive. To restore the building, would require (as of 2018) $2 million.
The Marines Hall in Titahi Bay has stood at the heart of the community for over 75 years and has a special place in the memories of local whānau.
In July 2021, the concept plan for the community space to replace the hall was shared with the community. Many aspects of the commemorative community space are designed with the history of the hall behind it. The full design rationale is below.
Some aspects of the concept plan changed as a result of what the community said. It was also decided to upgrade the toilet facilities.
Currently work to complete the final design is under way and works are expected to start on site in early 2023.
(Below is a render of the commemorative community space, subject to change.)
Titahi Bay’s Marines Hall is set to be demolished in the coming weeks, after Porirua City Council satisfied resource consent conditions to do so.
A contract has been signed with Quality Demolition, who have already started investigative works and will carry out the demolition.
The building, constructed by US Marines based at a nearby camp in 1942, has been unused since 2012, when it was deemed structurally unsafe and unsanitary.
The Council voted in 2014 to demolish it.
Quality Demolition contracts manager Simon Miller says this is a building he knows well and while sad to see it coming down, is excited to be involved in the next phase of the site.
"I was brought up in the Bay and can remember the Marines Hall as a picture theatre back in the day and then later on there were plays, where you could take a chilly bin and some food in - it was great.
"But life goes on and I think what’s planned will be really good for the area."
Quality Demolition will salvage and recycle as much material as they can from the former Marines Hall for future use.
Porirua Parks and City Services Operations Manager Mark Hammond says the Council has been through a thorough process to get to this point.
"We consulted with the community at many different stages along the way, including last year over what should be on this spot once the building is gone.
"We’ve now met the requirements of the resource consent, so the next phase can get under way and we’re one step closer to having a commemorative space that the Titahi Bay, and Porirua, community can take pride in.
"We will soon have an updated design plan to share and hope to get started on the cleared site in the new year."
Plans include different seating areas, shade, more vegetation and multiple features that reflect the heritage of the hall.
Ngāti Toa and an independent archaeologist have been engaged as part of the project.
A new modern toilet block will also be put in, on the same spot as the current block.
During demolition and construction of the commemorative space, the library, car park and all shops will remain open and accessible, but there may be some minor diversions in place.
The work is expected to begin in the first part of 2023 and is estimated to take three to four months.
Much of the work on site is weather dependent, but at this stage we have allowed three to four months.
In 2012 the hall was deemed structurally unsafe and was closed. A year later the building was also deemed at earthquake risk. Porirua City Council voted in 2018 that consent be sought for it to be demolished.
Several groups looked into securing funding to restore the hall, but the building work required was too extensive. To restore the building, would require (in 2018) $2 million.
Porirua City Council submitted a resource consent application to demolish the Marines Hall and two independent commissioners granted the consent in February 2021 following hearings late in 2020.
Quality Demolition salvaged and recycled as much material as they could for future use. In addition, two of the remaining kowhai at the car park will remain as part of the commemorative space.
Yes, the toilet block is going to be replaced with something more modern and this will be completed prior to Christmas 2022. The new facility will go in the same place and will compliment the commemorative community space.
To capture the significance of the hall, a heritage consultant was engaged to log the artifacts and attributes of the building. This valuable resource will be made publicly available for years to come. It is currently being made into a book and will be available at all Porirua City libraries. There is also a number of publications on the history of the hall and the US Marines during the time they were in Titahi Bay. These resources are also available at the Porirua City Library.
The current signage at the site shows a rendered image of generally what the space will look like. Closer to the time of construction there may be updated images of what is planned for the space.
The commemorative landscape proposal recognised that the removal of the Marines Hall would also remove a memento of times spent in that building watching movies and performance. Therefore, the design evokes the halls presence and volume, while extending its role as a gathering and performance space.
The design recognises that the hall and the proposed commemorative garden exist in the context of Ngāti Toa’s rohi.
Within the park, the outline of the original walls and roof are conveyed through three portals, conveying a sense of the building, while forming an entrance to the commemorative garden from the existing shops. Native timber on decorative poles, carry through building material from past to present and future
The height change over the site is accommodated through a series of low, generously wide steps, oriented toward the casual stage and library. These are covered in outdoor all-weather carpet, creating casual seating reminiscent of being inside a building while within the commemorative garden.
The bench seats are also ‘lantern boxes’, lit from within, with patterns cut in the sides. These will carry local narratives, acting as a series of storytelling devices as well as seating.
Transitioning into the reserves open space is an adaptable play and wananga space, close to the library, with a permeable soft surface.
