The Beachlands area is well-known for its beautiful beaches and stunning coastline, but it may soon become well-known as a place to learn about sustainability and innovation.
The Beachlands Community Trust has already been running a number of popular initiatives in the community aimed at upskilling people in how to reuse and recycle, including the Upcycling Market and the Remakery which is a space for eco-businesses and environmentalists to showcase ways to live more sustainably.
But the next idea on their horizon, in partnership with Franklin Local Board, is to set up a sustainability hub focused on creative upcycling and educating the public how to live in an environmentally-conscious way.
Beachlands Community Trust CEO Jenny Carter says this is an exciting opportunity that will benefit the whole community.
“Thanks to the brokering of the local board members, we were able to start looking at setting up a hub that enables innovative and creative projects aimed at upcycling and reusing."
"It will be somewhere where people can experience how to live more sustainably.”
The intention is for the hub to include a repair workshop where products can be donated for upcycling and resale, a café and an education space and a Trolley Derby museum.
Jenny says it won’t all happen overnight as it will be important to get community buy-in.
“The aesthetics of this are really important and it could also be a place where visitors to the area might call in on their way to Maraetai Beach.”
Local board supports sustainability initiatives
Franklin Local Board member for the Wairoa subdivision Malcolm Bell says one of the local board’s priorities is to create places that enable waste minimisation but also empower communities to come up with solutions to the issues they are facing.
“Our community is highly aware of the need to be sustainable and reduce what we throw away, so as a board we are very supportive of initiatives which enable community-led solutions to this issue of waste minimisation.”
