This is the place

Pāpāmoa’s renowned lakeside retirement village is about
to go even further with their impressive offering.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor | Photos Jahl Marshall + supplied

On the coastal stretch between Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa, you can feel the excitement building at Pacific Lakes Village, as the forward-thinking lifestyle village continues to expand. Designed to serve as a central hub, The Pavilion, currently under construction, is set to open in spring next year. 

The design of this 2,500m2 community facility has been carefully considered. The teams at architectural practice Peddlethorp and interior designers Space Studio have come together on the project, resulting in a classic, sophisticated building that will stand the test of time.

Spearheaded by David Sweatman of Space Studio, the selected interior focus is on “natural materials, warmth, character and familiarity. The decor will be modern, with hints of mid-century”, David says.

Other design highlights will include the extensive use of timber as interior cladding, together with natural stone; parquet flooring, and the inclusion of extensive skylights to maximise natural light. Pacific Lakes purposely selected a main structural frame of LVL timber rather than steel to align with the village’s sustainability ethos. These components were all fabricated in Auckland and transported to the site for a seamless construction methodology. 

Part of the Generus Living Collection, Pacific Lakes aims to offer a unique, modern and engaging community with facilities more like an upmarket resort. “Our intention has always been to offer our residents choice. That’s one of the great things about the village model, choice is possible, and we position ourselves to provide facilities, service and amenity at the highest level,” says Graham Wilkinson, the director of Generus Living. “Like the Lake House, which opened in 2022, The Pavilion is an integral part of that picture. Our model is firmly rooted in hospitality and The Pavilion will be a true reflection of that concept.” 

With an estimated cost of over $40 million, it will be one of the largest and most comprehensive community facilities in any New Zealand retirement village. It will provide communal areas for a variety of activities and  incorporates a stylish eatery, lounge bar, library, art studio, billiards room, beauty salon and a wellness suite for visiting consultations (for example, to cater for podiatry, acupuncture, physiotherapy, massage and village nurse health checks).  

The Pavilion will also feature an impressive and spacious multi-purpose recreation space that has been designed with flexibility in mind. Operable dividing walls will enable smaller gathering spaces, yet, when used as one large area it will be perfect for large gatherings. A similar desire for flexibility is evident in the design of the restaurant area to cater as a daytime café as well as evening dining. Highlighting the village’s garden to table ethos, a chef’s garden with raised garden beds and a glasshouse will enable the restaurant to embrace a local and seasonal approach to sourcing ingredients.

In short, The Pavilion will be perfectly suited to hosting a wide range of events, private functions and resident activities and will truly enable the village community to come together. 

Adding to its appeal is its location – on the lake’s edge opposite the popular smaller community facility, the Lake House. The two buildings complement each other beautifully. The Lake House includes sweeping decks and a barbecue area overlooking the lake, as well as the village’s Little Green café, a perfect place for socialising. Positioned alongside it is a full-size, green-weave bowling green.

Over the past year, the village has seen further development, the newest addition of pickleball courts (which also acts as a full-sized tennis court) is proving very popular. The on court pickleball action has included “try and learn” sessions that have progressed into games and then competition matches. It’s understood that pickleball courts are a first for
a New Zealand retirement village.

The Village Common, a serene area with bench seating amidst the greenery, has also been a wonderful addition to the village amenities. It features a winter garden glass atrium as well as a community garden with raised planting beds and a greenhouse. 

“It’s there for residents to use at their leisure,” says Mark Vincent Pacific Lakes Village manager. “The idea is that it offers another spot to enjoy a cuppa with a neighbour or friend, host small gatherings or
a meeting, or simply to enjoy a moment of solitude.”

The burgeoning Bay of Plenty population is watching developments at the village with interest. With its park-like grounds, beautiful waterways and eco-friendly lifestyle, it’s proudly the first Generus Living village to take a comprehensive approach to sustainability in design.

All building materials throughout have been carefully considered, and environmentally preferred solutions have been front of mind throughout the village’s development. For example, solar energy is utilised at the Lake House, LED lighting has been selected for both street and internal lighting, there are EV charging stations, and Pacific Lakes has also used
every effort to adopt best practices and demonstrate good stewardship of the water resources from irrigation to stormwater management.

Pacific Lakes is also part of the Tauranga Council Resource Wise Business Programme – a programme supporting local businesses to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfills. The Village has achieved remarkable Green status with over 98 percent of operational waste being diverted from landfills. 

These are only a few examples of an impressive list as the village is steeped in sustainable ways of living with a strong support from the residents. “Resident surveys have illustrated that a sustainable lifestyle is either important or very important to over 94 percent of village residents and over half of the respondents said that the village's approach to sustainability contributed to their decision to purchase at the village,” says Graham.

Pacific Lakes is a growing community. There are currently 190 residences, catering for just under 300 people, and when completed, the village will comprise 250 homes. Villas and terrace houses are selling now. “We are delighted but not surprised by the positive feedback being received as the village continues to grow from both happy residents and
from those hoping to make it home, says Mark. The village is already in high demand, and the addition of The Pavilion will only increase its desirability.” 

pacificlakes.co.nz

Home away from home

If Tauranga’s Redoubt Eatery isn’t already your local, get down there for some comfortable vibes, good conversation and signature Sticky Chicken.

Words Dan Collins  |  Photos Erin Cave

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. Those may be the lyrics to the theme tune of the old classic sitcom Cheers, but for Jacob Henderson, proprietor of Redoubt Eatery, they’re words to live by. “Redoubt is your home away from home,” he says when UNO pops in on a sunny Tauranga afternoon. “You get greeted by name. You don’t have to try too hard or try and be cool. It’s that kind of place.”

Situated about halfway down Tauranga’s picturesque promenade of The Strand, it’s that easygoing and down-to-earth attitude that typifies and differentiates the Redoubt experience. It’s welcoming and unpretentious. The kind of place that knows your name and what you drink, and gets them ready for you as you walk in.

“You don’t have to study a wine list that’s got five sauv blancs, you’ve just got the one,” Jacob says by way of example. “It’s good. It’s reliable. You feel safe and comfortable.” Jacob’s fresh perspective on what makes a place worth visiting could stem from the fact that he’s new to the Tauranga scene and excited to be here. “We’ve got one Redoubt Eatery in Morrinsville and one in Matamata,” he says. “We wanted to see if what we do is good enough to work in the big city.”

It may have only opened its doors in August but it certainly seems to be working. There are plenty of people coming through the doors and, most importantly to Jacob, an ever-growing number of regulars settling in and making Redoubt their local.

He describes the move into town as a happy accident. His cousin walked past one day earlier this year and saw that the previous establishment was for sale. He called Jacob, who immediately spotted the potential. “We thought it was the best location, being on the corner here, and with that deck upstairs. Initially, we thought that deck might be a pain, but it’s such a great area. It’s one of the few places along here where you can see out into the harbour.”

Those gorgeous elevated harbour views are bound to make it a favourite for long summer lunches or post-work evening drinks. “Just about every second person is asking for a table up there. We’re praying for that weather!” he jokes.

With seating for 70 people, Redoubt should be able to accommodate most sun-chasers. But to be on the safe side, you can always book a table. In fact, Jacob says, the team are happy to accommodate wherever they can. It’s all part of making Redoubt Eatery feel like a second home. It’s a philosophy that’s come from Redoubt being a part of his family legacy.

“The first Redoubt Eatery opened in 1999 in Te Awamutu. That was opened by my parents,” he says. “In 2002 my wife and I were overseas. My father rang and asked if I wanted to lease the pub. We said yes, came back and leased the pub for about two years while they went overseas.”

When his parents returned, it was obvious there were now too many chefs in the kitchen, so Jacob and his wife started looking around. In 2006 they opened a Redoubt Eatery in Matamata. The original in Te Awamutu was sold around 2016 so is no longer part of the family. However, Matamata was going so well that they opened a Redoubt Eatery in Morrinsville in 2018.

“Morrinsville doesn’t have a huge amount of eateries,” he says. “It’s nice to go to a place where you’re needed and it was a great opportunity. You always like to think you’re pretty cool and that what you do would work everywhere. Morrinsville went really well. When we went from one to two, it didn’t feel like a huge strain. We’ve got a bit of confidence. That’s why we got so excited about The Strand and thought, ‘What we do could work.’”

That said, some things have been tweaked for the Tauranga market. The decor and fit-out is fairly similar, with sports photos and memorabilia – like an autographed Mike Tyson boxing glove and photos of famous local sports heroes – decorating the walls, but the food and drinks menus have been given a slight makeover. Again, with the specific goal of making you feel relaxed.

“We don’t want people to feel intimidated. We don’t want you to have pretend that you know what certain words mean you know,” he laughs. “We want it to be very Kiwi-themed and comfortable. Certainly good and certainly fresh and seasonal. That goes without saying. But I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when you’re in here. People can pick up the bone and stuff like that.”

He says they kept on some of the staff from the previous establishment, including the head chef Johnny, who presented his new owners with some ideas for the menu. “It was really impressive. His food is bloody good,” Jacob enthuses. “So the menu is different from Matamata and Morrinsville, except for one dish.”

This is Redoubt Eatery’s secret weapon, their hit. The one thing he knew they had to serve. “It’s called the Sticky Chicken. It’s our biggest seller in Matamata. It’s our biggest seller in Morrinsville and now it’s our biggest seller in Tauranga,” he grins as he talks about the chicken dish that comes drizzled in a ginger sauc and served on coconut rice. “It’s comfort food. We can’t take it off. It just goes off. It’s one of the few dishes that’s on the lunch and dinner menu.”

Again, the word “comfort” comes up when Jacob talks about Redoubt. It’s something incredibly important to him, and it turns out there’s a very good reason why. “When I was 19, I was travelling the world and ended up in this town in West Cork, Ireland called Clonakilty. The first day I was there, I went into this pub and the guy behind the bar urged me to try a Murphys and introduced me to a couple of locals. About a week later I was still jobless, running out of money and it was raining. I was thinking my dreams of travelling the world were over. I walked back into the pub and Barry was behind the bar again. He went, ‘Jacob! How are ya mate? Here’s your Murphys.’I just felt like I belonged, and he made me feel special. I thought, ‘This is where I want to be.’ I stayed there for two years. It turned everything around. “That’s what we want to do. It’s so cool to walk in and have someone say, ‘G’day, Jake, here’s your drink.’” 

That’s the vibe Jacob wants to create. A home away from a home. A place where everybody knows your name and… Well, you get the idea. This philosophy of creating a community even  extends to the photos lining the walls. “The vast majority of the pictures on the wall are of Tauranga things, Tauranga heroes or Tauranga villains. We’re always looking to grow that,” he explains before giving an example.

“I was talking to a mate and his son won the New Zealand freestyle scooter award. He’s a kid, 15 years old, and does triple flips and stuff. We’re gonna get his photo and put it up on the wall. He’ll sit next to Kane Williamson there – who goes without introduction,” he says pointing to a blank spot beside the Tauranga-raised Black Caps captain.

“That’s what makes a good local!” Jacob exclaims. “What I want is for you to be able to sit here and go, ‘That’s my bloody neighbour on the wall!' Because then you feel like you belong there. Eventually, these walls will be covered. I want a photo of your second cousin who played hockey for New Zealand in 1985. People like that. I reckon that’s worthy of being on the wall.”

Jacob’s vision for Redoubt Eatery – and, of course, its signature dish, the Sticky Chicken – should ensure it’s a hit. A relaxed place where you can go with your mates to catch up and chill out with a drink or two and grab something delicious to eat. If only there was a word for something like that. Turns out there is. “One of the meanings of the word Redoubt is ‘a place of refuge or safe haven’,” Jacob smiles. “So I quite like that as well.” 

redoubt.nz/the-strand