Gold medallist, TV star among high-profile Kiwis to help in rebuild of ‘dysfunctional, horrible’ Sumner pavilion

Saturday, 25 July 2026

A seaside village sports pavilion “hanging on by its fingernails” is getting closer to a rebuild as former sports people, community stalwarts and a broadcaster take to the dance floor for the cause.

Strictly Sumner is back for the second time in a decade, taking inspiration from the British reality TV show Strictly Come Dancing as well-known Kiwis including 1News journalist Lisa Davies, Commonwealth swimming gold medallist Anna Simcic and Sumner RFC Premier player Mitch Cox don their dancing shoes with expert dance partners.

Tickets to the black tie event went on sale July 15, and within 24 hours, more than half the 750 tickets were sold. As of Friday, two-thirds have now sold.

Sumner Sports Pavilion spokesperson Amy Carter said there was a range of ticket-holders, from people who love dancing or were excited to see the rebuild of the facility, to those who “just want a good night out”.

Fundraising for the new pavilion launched in February when nearly 30 sporting legends took to St Leonards Park for a cross-code T20 clash.

Originally built as the Sumner Surf Life Saving Club’s clubrooms on Sumner Beach, it was moved in 1958 to its current home at St Leonards Park to serve as the facility for Sumner Cricket and Sumner Redcliffs Rugby.

But its age is making it no longer fit for purpose.

“It’s hanging on by its fingernails to keep going,” Sumner Sports Pavilion building project manager Trevor Hone said.

About five years ago, a renovation of the building was considered, costing more than $1 million, but he said in the end, it would still be a “dysfunctional, horrible space”.

Demolishing the current building and replacing it is set to cost $3.4m on the same footprint.

Hone said it would have more open spaces, a commercial kitchen and “most importantly … the changing rooms are going to be something you’ll want to go in … a nice pleasant environment for people”.

Built from timber instead of steel where possible, and a very large roof for solar panels, it would be a “very robust structure” that would not need to be painted or repaired regularly, he said.

“We don’t want to leave big running costs for people going forward.”

Funding for the multimillion-dollar build is at $1.5m, made possible by grants, major donors and the RSA.

It’s currently in the building consent stage, but Hone said building would not begin until the full amount is accounted for.

“If we haven’t got the money we don’t start it. It’s a legacy project, we don’t want to be leaving a burden for anyone” - hoping to start the build in a year.

Multipurpose community facility

The new pavilion will house Sumner Cricket, Sumner Rugby and Sumner Redcliffs RSA.

The RSA has trialled many venues for its meeting space since its new club rooms were brought down in the Canterbury earthquakes, but it was given a lifeline three years ago when it signed a six-year lease at Redcliffs Bowling Club.

“We had a terrible time trying to find a new home,” Sumner Redcliffs RSA president Les Salter said.

“Being based back in Sumner, which is what we always wanted,” was priority, he said where there would be access to a lot more members, “from young to the old”.

“This will enable us to stay and be part of the community.”

Lucy Hone, a global thought leader on resilience and Trevor Hone’s wife, is one of 10 stars lining up for the Strictly Sumner dance competition.

The novice dancers paired with experts perform two choreographed dances, being judged by professional dancers and siblings Vanessa and Scott Cole, who featured on Dancing with the Stars.

Winners will be announced at the end of the night.

Hone has been practising three times a week and is looking forward to showing off her new skills at the Strictly Sumner event.

She said a new hub would help foster community resilience. “You don’t build your resilience at 4.20am when the earthquake hits, you need to build those resources before our moments of need. One of the most effective ways of doing that is our sports and recreation facility, which gives us the opportunities for chance encounters - meeting people you otherwise wouldn’t have known because of this space.

“Communities do better who know each other and are aware of each others resources, and vulnerabilities and needs.”

A stalwart of Sumner, Commonwealth swimming gold medallist Anna Simcic was raised in the seaside village, and has brought her own children up there.

“We’re one of the oldies, my parents moved there when it was a hippy suburb.”

Simcic said she feels like a fish out of water on the dance floor as the pool was always her safe space, previously training 11 times a week during her professional swimming career.

“I can swim mindlessly … dancing’s a whole new ball game.”

Learning as an adult was “challenging, but also really, really fun”. “It’s been a real journey. I thought I’d pick it up really quickly; I probably underestimated how difficult it was to do it properly.”

Practising dance routines for the novice dancers and their trainers began in May, 14 weeks before the show hits the stage on September 5.

Simcic is training three mornings a week at her home where she has “cleared out” her 5m x 5m lounge in preparation for the smaller than normal 7.5m x 7.5m dance area at the current pavilion.

“It’ll be a really uplifting, wholesome, entertaining night.”

* Tickets to Strictly Sumner are available at https://events.humanitix.com/strictlysumner