Kāpiti Mayor Janet Holborow has welcomed the Kāpiti Coast District Council’s decision to green light the Waikanae Library and Community Hub project.
Mayor Holborow says the public have waited a long time for this and after extensive public engagement we are pleased to be able to draw a line in the sand and move forward with this project.
“Council has voted to proceed with Option 1, which involves refurbishing and extending the former library building to provide a warm and welcoming multi-functional space that will serve as a social hub for the entire community.
“This option is already budgeted for in our current Long-term Plan and has significant public support. Having certainty over a new library and community hub, along with the wonderful new Toi Mahara Gallery, will provide a significant boost for Waikanae and the Kāpiti Coast District as a whole,” says the Mayor.
“It’s important to note that deciding to progress with Option 1 will not preclude us from looking at how we incorporate other options, including the other options consulted on and the proposal put forward by the Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust, in the future.
“These can be considered through our next Long-term Plan and will be integrated with the wider town centre work, which is already under way.”
Mayor Holborow acknowledged that getting to this point hasn’t been an easy road and said she was particularly grateful to the Council staff who have put an enormous amount of effort into the new library and community hub project. She also acknowledged the residents of Waikanae who have championed the library’s cause for so long.
“More than 500 people made the time to visit our Waikanae library and community hub engagement centre and Council staff spoke with dozens of people at community markets and other venues. 440 people completed feedback forms and we received more than 3000 comments via post-it notes and online.”
The Mayor says it is great to see the community’s patience and input being rewarded with what will be a top-class facility that will support the revitalisation of the area.
Work will now commence to develop concept designs for the new space. The temporary library will remain in place until the new library and community hub is built.