Wellington philanthropists give up to $50 million for mental health unit in Lower Hutt
Thursday, 7 July 2022
He donated $50 million for Wellington's new children's hospital, now Mark Dunajtschik is giving a further $40m to $50m to build a mental health unit in Lower Hutt.
The money, donated by Dunajtschik and his business and life partner Dorothy Spotswood, will finance a new 34-bed adult mental health facility on the Hutt Hospital campus.
The Mark Dunajtschik Mental Health Centre will replace the 24-bed Te Whare Ahuru – an existing facility on the hospital campus – adding an extra ten beds for mental health patients.
Construction of the 3500 square metre unit being designed by CCM Architects will begin next June.It is expected to open by mid-2025.
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The 86-year-old philanthropist and property developer made the announcement after receiving the Tribute to a Wellington Icon Award at the Gold Awards at Wellington’s TSB Arena.
Speaking before the event, Dunajtschik said he wanted to use his wealth for the benefit of the community.
“It’s a matter of judgment [about] where the biggest need is.
“I read the newspaper religiously every night. There is a general awareness that mental health is an issue and anyone who hasn’t noticed that can’t be living with their eyes open.
“I have been lucky and fortunate to be making good money in life and I want to spend it in the community where I made it.”
Dunajtschik is usually a hands-on developer. He and Spotswood are a team of two who work every day getting involved in the minutiae of every aspect to a build.
With the mental health unit, though, they will be involved only financially.
He said the $40-$50 million was a “ballpark price”, which had to be confirmed on the finalised design and then with construction company McKee Fehl.
The concept for the unit has been gestating for about a year, he said. An agreement was signed with the Ministry of Health about six weeks ago for the project to go ahead.
The Government had set aside $30m to replace Te Whare Ahuru with a modern facility of the same size, but Dunajtschik’s contribution meant that sum could be redistributed to other mental health projects around the country, said Health Minister Andrew Little.
“This latest contribution will benefit not only the Wellington region, but will also have knock-on benefits for the rest of the country because the balance of the Government funding that was intended for the Hutt Valley unit can go into other projects.
“We can all be incredibly grateful for the extraordinary philanthropy of Mr Dunajtschik, who made New Zealand his home many years ago. He has succeeded in business and now wishes to give back to this country.
Little, who was unable to attend the Gold Awards because he has Covid-19, said he had thanked Dunajtschik earlier for this donation and for the $50 million he has already donated towards the new children’s hospital for Wellington.
Aside from the Children’s Hospital Te Wao Nui, Dunajtschik and Spotswood have flown under the radar with much of their philanthropy over the years.
The multi-millionaires started the helicopter rescue service Life Flight Trust in 1975, funding it for a decade before a commercial sponsor came on board. Wellington Free Ambulance and the Graeme Dingle Foundation have been beneficiaries of their philanthropy, among many other charities.
Ahead of the Gold Awards event last night , Dunajtschik, who was born in former Yugoslavia, dug out his response from the Immigration Department dated February 1957 following his application for a visa to come to New Zealand.
The reply was a three-line letter.
“It said: ‘The Department has considered favourably your request to immigrate to New Zealand.’ For the last 64 years I have strived to show my appreciation for the favourable consideration from the Department.”
The detail
The adult mental health unit will cost around $40-$50 million.
The 34-bed mental health unit would be a low rise building with two levels.
Construction will begin mid-2023.
The unit is expected to open mid-2025
The demolition of Pilmuir Building on the Hutt Hospital campus is scheduled to begin later this year.
Dunajtschik and Spotswood have already contributed $50 million towards the Children’s Hospital / Te Wao Nui due to open in late 2022.