46 | COMMUNITY Salvation Army Wellington T T Anne Boswell A warm, healthy living environment Salvation Army Property Asset Manager – Central North Island Jeff Myles says the upgrade is a huge improvement. After resource consent was granted and a major wastewater upgrade was undertaken, the two new, high-quality relocatable buildings were designed and built off site. Staff working and living on site at the Salvation Army Blue Mountain Adventure Centre are now fully equipped to enjoy a comfortable, warm and healthy living environment after a hard day out in the elements, following the completion of a significant accommodation upgrade. Located at Raurimu, in the remote Ruapehu region, the BMAC now has an extra two accommodation buildings – a dormitory and living area with modern facilities, and a four-bedroom family home, both north-facing with solid insulation, double glazing and a log-burner for heating. Salvation Army Property Asset Manager – Central North Island Jeff Myles says the upgrade is a huge improvement. “We are thrilled with the new accommodation and what it will provide staff that live there,” he says. Established in 1990, the centre holds outdoor education programmes for groups wanting to push their own personal boundaries through adventure, or those wanting team-bonding experience. With the centre being located close to Tongariro National Park and the Tongariro River, Lake Otamangakau and Mt Ruapehu, it is right on the doorstep of a landscape that offers a wide range of outdoor adventure activities including rafting, alpine skills, rock climbing, canyoning, high ropes, canoeing, caving, tramping and bush skills. “The Salvation Army wants to see people out there pushing the boundaries of their confidence in a supportive environment,” Jeff says. With staff experienced in outdoor leadership and instruction, the centre maintains excellence in its safety procedures; instructors are members of the New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association, and the centre is AdventureMark Safety Audit Certified. While the centre has existed for almost 40 years, the Salvation Army more recently bought the adjacent land with the purpose of expanding the accommodation capacity for guests and staff. The centre had been struggling to house instructors with only one family home and a secondary house and had to resort to renting nearby holiday homes to provide additional accommodation. After resource consent was granted and a major wastewater upgrade was undertaken, the two new buildings - high-quality relocatable buildings - were designed and built off site and transported to the site. The building designs incorporate muted colours and timber cladding and have been sited amongst native planting and landscaped earth mounds to blend in as best as possible with the surrounding landscape. The most recent work completed was the finishing touches of decking and canopies for the staff housing, which is located apart from the main centre to allow staff members privacy after hours. A comprehensive team of companies worked on the project, including Mike Collier Contracting, Central Sparkies, Colin Levien Plumbing, Ken Robertson Building and CivilPlan Consultants Ltd. With the new accommodation now established, the one barrier to attracting and keeping staff has been resolved - paving the “The Salvation Army wants to see people out there pushing the boundaries of their confidence in a supportive environment.” way for passionate, talented instructors to help people discover their God-given potential through the challenge of adventure.
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