BOPDHB History Whakatāne Hospital History Book | Page 3

WHAKATĀNE HOSPITAL
TE WHATUMAURI HAUORA
A HISTORY

FOREWORD
The planned 2011/2014 redevelopment of the Whakatāne Hospital Te Whatumauri Hauora campus
will bring dramatic changes at the site. Most of the existing buildings, which Whakatāne District’s
residents have been long accustomed to, will either be demolished or moved. The Godfrey Santon
Block will eventually be very reduced in height and will no longer be able to claim the honour of being
Whakatāne's tallest building.
The redevelopment is the outcome of many years of negotiation between successive Bay of Plenty
District Health Boards and the various government politicians and representatives.
There were
delays, newspaper speculation and pencil sharpening, but the announcement on 2 September 2010
by the Minister of Health, the Hon Tony Ryall MP, that the Government had approved the $65 million
redevelopment of Whakatāne Hospital put an end to any public doubts and fears.
Much of the early focus was on the practical challenges associated with keeping a functioning hospital
available to the district’s population while proceeding with the redevelopment. During this time as the
Hospital campus was facing a makeover of unprecedented proportions it became clear that very little
was known about the early history of the Hospital and the site.
As this publication explains, the places, the people and the buildings that have served the various
communities within the Whakatāne District for over 100 years all have an interesting story to tell.

Sally Webb, Chairperson
Bay of Plenty District Health Board