The community centre in New Lynn is to receive a $1 million boost following the decision to redevelop and improve facilities at the popular venue.
Whau Local Board has agreed to allocate $300,000 towards the overall cost of the project, which, along with programmed renewal works, will also see improvements to the entrance, the creation of a bigger foyer space, a new lounge space and the creation of a new meeting space.
Growing population
Since it was opened in 2001, the centre has seen steady growth in use in line with the growth of the population, and with New Lynn expected to grow by around 10,000 more residents by 2024, future proofing the facility to cope with the expected growth was seen by the board as a crucial piece of work.
“Allocating this funding to improve the community centre is essential to ensure that the New Lynn community centre is fit for purpose and can serve a rapidly growing population,” says Tracy Mulholland, Chair of Whau Local Board.
“Anyone who uses the centre on a regular basis will know that it is incredibly well used, with more than 100,000 participants using the facility in the last year alone.
“If we hadn’t done anything, the facility would become increasingly unfit for purpose, and while we could have just maintained its current state, combining scheduled maintenance work with the upgrading of a number of areas will hugely benefit the centre.
“It will mean the centre can cater to a greater range of programmes and services and give it the ability for the centre to meet a range of demands that population growth will require.
Future proofing
“So future-proofing this really was a straightforward decision for us. We are delighted that we have been able to make such a significant contribution to a much-loved community asset here in New Lynn,” says Tracy.
Work on the design and consenting work will now begin in March 2019, with physical work commencing in late 2019.
