10 December 2018

The Grand Opening of Te Waihinga Centre in Martinborough was celebrated today by hundreds of members of the local community and invited guests. Former Deputy Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Wyatt Creech, a Martinborough local, formally opened the Centre.

Guests included local mayors; local MPs; South Wairarapa District Councillors; donors to and tenants of the Centre; members of South Wairarapa Community Boards and the Māori Standing Committee; the local hapū, Ngati Hikawera; and individuals and organisations involved in the project, past and present.

A pōwhiri welcomed on Ngāti Hikawera, other guests and the wider community to the Centre. Ngāti Hikawera carried out a blessing of the building and Martinborough School performed the waiata “Te Waihinga”, written especially for the occasion.

Martinborough Community Board Chair and trustee of the Waihinga Chartitable Trust, Lisa Cornelissen, led the morning’s formalities, introducing and thanking the speakers.

In her speech, South Wairarapa District Mayor Viv Napier, said, “the Waihinga Centre Project is a story about council partnering with community to achieve a good outcome for all the community”.

The Rt. Hon. Wyatt Creech said, “it’s a pleasure to be here today at the opening of this facility, which will add so much to Martinborough’s growth, prosperity and sense of community.”

Waihinga Charitable Trust Chair Max Stevens also highlighted the importance of the Centre to the community. Mr Stevens said, “the vision that provided the motivation and the premise to raise the funds was a community hub for all to enjoy, use and improve the community resilience for future years”.

Te Waihinga Centre includes the strengthened and refurbished old Town Hall and a modern, multi-purpose community hub, which includes the relocated Martinborough i-SITE visitor centre, library, toy library, Plunket and new Knucklebone coffee bar, as well as meeting rooms for community groups.

The opening event was hosted by joint partners in the project, the Council and the Waihinga Charitable Trust. The Trust raised $1.4 million for the project through community donations, and secured $825,000 in grants and $140,000 from Plunket, while the Council provided $2.8 million. The project is coming in within the total budget, which was set at $5.332 million (including $200K contingency).

Involved in the project were architects Warren and Mahoney, engineers Holmes Consulting, landscape designers Wraight + Associates, council project manager Dave Borman and main contractors Rigg Zschokke.

ENDS

Media contact:

Amy Wharram
027 252 2863
comms@swdc.govt.nz