Hataitai Centre Redevelopment Team
Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Sonia Rafter – Chair, Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Sonia joined the Hataitai Community in 2005. Since then she has been involved in several volunteer community roles, including Chair, Fundraising Events Coordinator and Grants Officer through Matairangi Kindergarten, Hataitai Kindergarten, and currently, the Hataitai Residents Association representative as Chair of the Hataitai Community Recreation Trust.
Through Sonia’s career in Banking and Finance she has experience in assessing and managing risk through a varied range of commercial and corporate businesses. She is delighted to be involved in helping to preserve and enhance a space to support community engagement, resilience and fun.
Roy Glass – Treasurer, Independent Trustee, Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Roy and his wife Kay have been Hataitai residents for over 30 years. Their two boys have made their way through the Wellington education system benefiting from kindergarten and primary schooling in Hataitai. Roy is an accountant in the public sector and works for the Auditor General.
For Roy the opportunity to develop the former Hataitai Bowling Club and green for the benefit of the community is something that happens once in a lifetime. He strongly believes that opportunity cannot be lost and that is why the mission to redevelop this facility is so important for Hataitai, the Eastern suburbs and Wellington.
Craig Harbour - Hataitai Bowling Club President & Trustee, Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Craig has been an active member of the Hataitai Bowling Club since the late 1980s holding various roles such as president, greenkeeper and bar manager. He joined because Hataitai Bowling Club had a reputation as the friendliest bowling club in Wellington, and it stands strong as one of the most successful clubs to date.
When club bowling numbers declined it became a question of what would become of the club. Craig was fully supportive of members deciding to gift the club to the Hataitai community, which resulted in the Community House and the Residents’ Association collaborating under a new ownership structure. Craig is looking forward to continuing to support this project to completion.
Chris Calvi-Freeman - Independent Trustee, Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Chris Calvi-Freeman is a Hataitai resident by birth and by choice, having lived all his life in Hataitai, except for 16 years overseas. He previously chaired the Hataitai Residents' Association through the 1980s and is now an honorary Life Member. Chris is also a former trustee of the Wellington Civic Trust, and was a Wellington City Councillor 2016-19.
He joined as a trustee last year and is very keen to see the redevelopment plans progress. As a professional transport planner, (now retired) Chris retains a close interest in all things civic and transport-related. He is well versed in managing large budgets and teams.
Andy Davies - Trustee, Hataitai Community Recreation Trust
Andy has lived in Hataitai since 2017 and has been involved in several community organisations, including Hataitai Kindergarten and Britannia Sea Scouts. He has been a trustee at Kilbirnie School and is currently a trustee at Hataitai School. He has also been on the board of local charities and national professional bodies. He is a specialist physician at Wellington Hospital.
This year Andy joined the Hataitai Community Recreation Trust because he sees the huge potential in the planned redevelopment and is keen to be part of this exciting project.
Collaborating Key Experts
Adolf Stroombergen - Economist
Adolf Stroombergen lives in Hataitai and is an economist with a PhD in economics. He has governance experience on school boards for 15 years, including eight years as chairman of a girls college. Although Adolf’s time for his own children to use the Hataitai Centre has passed, he believes it is a wonderful community asset that can continue to benefit future generations.
Sam Kebblle - Architect
Sam Kebbell co-founded KebbellDaish Architects in 2002 after several years working in Boston, New York and Amsterdam. He trained at the Wellington School of Architecture, has a Master of Design from Harvard University, a PhD from RMIT in Melbourne and is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. He lives in Hataitai with his partner and two children and looks forward to a thriving public space in the village.
Stephen Poulopoulos - Architect
Stephen Poulopoulos is a founding director of the architectural practice architecture+ established in 1994. He is a Fellow of the NZIA and gained an MBA in 1993. He has been involved in a number of significant commercial projects including the Telecom Central building, the Hutt City Council Admin building and Events Centre and Stewart Dawsons Corner. He has lived in Hataitai with his family since 2000.
Don Jamieson - Architect
Hataitai has been home-base for Don’s architecture practice for over 30 years. Being a local architect he was involved in the bowling club when they first investigated seismic strengthening the building.
With most of his architectural practice spent in Wellington, he has been involved in numerous renovations of early 20th century building’s (and a few older ones). His approach is both design focused and pragmatic.
Don views the Hataitai Centre redevelopment as an opportunity to evolve the Bowling Club into a place and environment for community activity and connection that will take it through the 21st century.
John Plimmer - Creative Director
John is a Creative Director with over 30 years of experience in Advertising. He was formerly the National Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi and now works with his own clients.
He has loved living in Hataitai for 30 years and views the old Hataitai Bowling Club as the physical heart of the suburb, and once redeveloped, believes it will be a vital asset to community well-being. He is looking forward to making it the heart of Hataitai and a wonderful space for all Wellington to enjoy.
Liang Wells - Accountant
Liang is a Chartered Accountant, and has over 10 years experience as an auditor with KPMG, she also has commercial experience as a Corporate Services Manager and a Chief Financial Officer, giving her vast exposure to managing budgets and ensuring money is well-spent.
Liang is the Chair of the Hataitai Community House, and has a strong passion for community, building connections with those that live in her neighbourhood, and looking after those in need. For Liang, the Centre means Community as it brings together people from Hataitai and surrounding suburbs.
This list is not exhaustive of the number of volunteers who have contributed to this passion project to date and cannot capture the collective hours of donated skills, experience and time that will enable this special space to be retained and renewed, to become a space for our future communities. We remain extremely grateful to everyone who has supported and enhanced this vision in some way.