Waitangirua Village Planning
This page describes on-going Village Planning Programme work in Waitangirua. This programme is a partnership between Porirua City Council and the community of Waitangirua to develop and improve the village. To learn more about the Village Planning Programme visit the home page.
On this page you will find:
Waitangirua Village Planning - latest news
A performance stage for Waitangirua Community Park
Performance stage being developed at park
Work is underway on the construction of a performance stage in Waitangirua Park.
The stage has been taking shape during early June 2013 (as pictured above), and will be wired for sound and lights.
The aim is for the stage to become a place for community concerts.
The picture below shows the 3m high climbing rock that was installed at the park last year.
The purpose-built rock was developed in consultation with the local community and is in place at the northern end of the park. It has been partly funded by a grant of $5000 from the Charitable Trust.
The rock weights about 7 tonnes and is built on a steel base frame, which is then covered with wire mesh and scrim, and sprayed with concrete.
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Mini art festival brightens Waitangirua Mall
The photographs above show the artists hard at work during the Waitangirua Arts Festival.
Artists Antz June is in the top photo, artist Ian Taylor features in the left hand photo below and artist Ranga Tuhi features in the photograph to the right.
Festival of colour and art
A team of Porirua artists have painted a series of murals along the front of Waitangirua Mall.
The work was carried out as part of the Waitangirua Arts Festival, supported by Porirua City Council, which ran for a week from January 7 (2013) and ended with a public BBQ and celebration on the Friday.
One of the organisers Ruth Robertson-Taylor said it was great to be working with the variety of artists at the mall.
"It's tons of fun working with the other artists. There's no better way to get to know other artists than working with them."
The artists were being hosted by Maraeroa Marae.
Council Graffiti Management Coordinator, and one of the organisers, Richard Witheford-Smith, is thrilled with how the event went and says the final art works look great.
They are pictured below. (February 2013)
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Spring Festival celebrates Waitangirua
Crowds enjoy entertainment and stalls at Waitangirua Spring Festival
A Spring Festival was held in glorious sunshine at Waitangirua Community Park in September 2012.
The festive, fun day was all about the community connecting and celebrating together.
Residents, community groups and schools came together to hold market stalls, fundraise for their group and be part of staged entertainment for all to enjoy.
"It was a beautiful day and an awesome crowd, I loved the MC and it couldn’t have been done any better in such a relaxed atmosphere. A true community event", says Local youth worker Findlay Siania.
Some highlights from the event included Nga Tai Hononga O Marutawhiti and Poneke Kapa Haka groups and impromptu offerings from talented residents, as well as our very own Mana Local MP Kris Faafoi who played guitar and sung Bob Marley's Redemption Song.
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Waitangirua Community Park mosaic blessed
The photograph above was taken during the early morning blessing of the mosaic at Waitangirua Community Park.
Mosaic - a community labour of love
The fabulous, 3-metre long Waitangirua Community Park mosaic artwork is in place and was formally unveiled and blessed on Saturday, August 4, 2012.
Residents have worked alongside community artist Kerry Scott to develop the piece, which was built at Maraeroa Marae; across the road from the park.
Concepts and ideas from local residents have been incorporated into the final design which includes the hills and streams, trees, plants and native fish of Waitangirua.
Key to the piece is the name Waitangirua which means the sound of the two waterways Cameron's Creek and Waitangi Stream that run through the village.
The photograph above shows the Waitangirua Community Park mosaic in its final glory (July 2012), ready to be installed on site.
The photograph above shows mosaic project co-ordinator Moana Tuariki works alongside community artist Kerry Scott to start the mosaic in March 2012.
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Toilet upgrade for Waitangirua Community Park
Work has finished on upgrading the Waitangirua Community Park toilet block.
The old block has been modernised and refocused around the park. At the same time it has been fitted for use by people with disabilities. The work was completed by the end of May 2012.
The photograph above shows the newly upgraded toilet block at Waitangirua Community Park.
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New murals brighten Waitangirua Mall
Nine bright colourful murals have been painted on Waitangirua Mall.
The murals have been designed and painted by community groups in a project aimed at reinvigorating the mall.
Among the groups painting in early December 2011 were pupils from Corrina School (pictured above with teacher Jennifer Whyman).
The other groups were from the South Pacific Academy, Wesley Community Action, Maraeroa Marae, Streets Ahead 237, Refugee Services, the Porirua collect Te Ahi Kaa team and Waitangirua's Te Toka Ahuru kohanga reo.
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Waitangirua Community Park named best in NZ for community engagement.
The development of Waitangirua Community Park has been named the best in New Zealand for outstanding community engagement in the 2011 IAP2 Australasian Core Value Awards.
The IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation - Australasia) is described as the region's professional body for practitioners in the public participation and engagement industry.
The awards recognise and encourage projects that are at the forefront of public participation.
View a copy of the entry. (PDF 6.72MB)
The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) promotes the values and leading practices associated with involving the public in decisions that impact their lives. It is a not for profit association advancing the practice of community engagement.
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Shop keepers and residents to look after Waitangirua Community Park
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed (April 2011) with the owners of Waitangirua Mall, which paves the way for residents and shop keepers to have involvement in the ongoing upkeep of the new community park.
A volunteer community group will be established to work with the mall owners to oversee the park and mall buildings, to clean up graffiti, litter and maintain the gardens.
The mall owners have completed demolition of buildings at the back of the mall. The area has been cleared of rubbish and bollards are to be installed on the south-eastern and north-western boundaries of the mall to prevent cars driving around the back.
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Clean up day targets graffiti at Waitangirua Park
A group of volunteers began painting out graffiti, cleaning up litter and preparing the garden beds for planting during a community working bee in June 2011.
Paint was supplied by the mall owners, and council staff and local residents set to work - as pictured below.
Photo left - Housing New Zealand's Lynne Hollands clears away litter. Photo right - Porirua City Council Graffiti Management Co-ordinator Trev Mason paints over graffiti to prepare the wall at the end of Waitangirua Mall for a big community mural.
Pictured above are Ian Barlow, PCC's Village Planning Programme Manager and Moana Tuariki, chair of the Waitangirua Community Park Design Group, painting out graffiti at Waitangirua Mall.
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Waitangirua Village Planning contacts
Community:
PCC:
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