Te Newhanga Kapiti Community Centre

Welcome to Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre, a beloved establishment and point of interest located at 15a Ngahina Street in Paraparaumu, New Zealand. Please note that, due to ongoing weather-tightness issues, the community centre is currently closed. However, we want to assure you that the Council is fully committed to rebuilding or replacing the centre.

We understand the vital role that Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre plays in our community. It serves as a hub for creating social connections, providing safe and welcoming spaces, and accommodating important community services. In order to fulfill these essential functions, we have allocated a budget of $5 million to rebuild or replace the community centre. We are actively working with centre users and our community to co-design a facility that truly meets their needs.

Throughout this process, we have engaged in numerous workshops and interviews with centre users and stakeholders. Their valuable input has helped shape our vision for a new community centre. It was revealed through testing that despite remedial works, moisture ingress had spread to several areas of the building, resulting in significant levels of mould and decay. A structural investigation conducted in late 2020 also found that the degraded timber has reduced the building's overall bracing strength by 15 to 20 percent compared to its original state. However, it is important to note that the building was not deemed dangerous or earthquake-prone according to the Building Act.

Furthermore, air quality testing conducted on February 22, 2021, revealed increased spore counts of Penicillium/Aspergillus in the Totara and Pohutukawa rooms. The presence of Stachybotrys (toxic black mould) and Chaetomium (a mould that can cause allergic reactions and respiratory infections in immune-compromised individuals) was also observed in the Totara Room.

The history of Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre dates back to its previous location over the railway lines in Paraparaumu. In the 1990s, a Community Trust was established to raise funds for a new centre, which eventually found its home on Ngahina Street. Deputy Mayor Murray Jensen played a key role in this process, and in 1996, the building was completed. Later on, the building was gifted to the Council and operated by an independent community organization. In 2011, the local hapu, Te Uri o te Ngarara, bestowed the tipuna name "Te Newhanga" upon the Centre, signifying its connection to the local hapu and iwi, as well as its importance to the community.

In 2018, the Council assumed the role of kaitiaki, or guardian, of Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre. We are dedicated to revitalizing this cherished institution and ensuring that it continues to serve as a beacon of community engagement and support.

Please stay tuned for updates on the rebuilding or replacement of Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work towards creating a new facility that will meet the diverse needs of our community.