Construction will begin on Newtown Community & Cultural Centre’s long-awaited upgrade next week, Wellington City Council has announced.
Work on plans for the upgrade began back in 2017 with a series of consultations with the Newtown community. Council asked Newtown residents for their input on the design and what they wanted to see in the space.
Construction for the $3.4 million upgrade will get underway on Tuesday, 26 October and is expected to be completed in August 2022.
The upgrades for this bright new space include:
- A new internal layout
- A new larger kitchen
- Brand new bathrooms
- Renovated dance studio
- Brand new accessible lift
- Complete renovation of the theatre
Although there will be new upgrades, the character of the building remains the same. The old bell tower will still be opened in the foyer, a core feature of the current building, Council said in a statement.
Opening in 1977, this Council-owned building, but run by the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre Trust, has provided a busy and vibrant space for the Newtown community.
Newtown Community & Cultural Centre Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators, Ellie Clayton and Eryn Gribble say this upgrade will provide a much-needed space for the community.
“The new centre will be an awesome, accessible space for Newtowners to connect, experience culture and host their own community activities. The community theatre is going to be particularly exciting, as it will work as a multi-use space for theatre, movies, public talks and much more,” they said.

“We’re looking forward to getting into the renovated community centre, but until then, feel free to come visit our new space, grab a cuppa and say kia ora!”
Wellington City Council Community Services Manager, Jenny Rains says community centres are vital to a neighbourhood’s space.
“Providing a place where everyone can gather, perform or learn is an integral part to any community. This space is designed for the people of Newtown, and we hope once constructed, it will be used by everyone in the community,” she said.
You can follow the latest news on this project at the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre website.