Waikato District Council says a new community hub with library in the heart of Pookeno is a step closer with the development of three options and the identification of a preferred option for the facility.
Option 1 – which sees Pookeno Hall retained, addresses the site constraints of 10 Market Street and provides space for activation and events close to Great South Road – has emerged as the preferred option following a series of co-design workshops with the community, the Council said in a statement.
“At the second co-design workshop in April, we shared three draft options for the community hub with library, and then we asked everyone to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of those options,” Council said.
“We then tested if there was a consensus on a preferred option using the Options Assessment we had developed. The discussion that followed confirmed that there was majority support for Option 1.”
The Council approved $6.5 million for the development of the library and community hub as part of the 2021– 2031 Long Term Plan process.
The Waikato District Blueprint 2019 also identified the need for a new library, community and customer services and facilities, among the priority initiatives for Pookeno.
“At the first workshop, participants said that they wanted the identity of Pookeno reflected in a modern, flexible, vibrant, people focussed community hub in the heart of town that connects and brings people together,” says Mayor, Jacqui Church.
She says it was important that the space was accessible space and caters to the needs of the community, contributed to a healthy and connected community, and was a space where everyone felt welcome and safe.
“We also need to consider future proofing options for growth and the changing needs and diversity of the Pookeno community,” she said.
More information about the options and the preferred option are on Council’s project page.
