Katikati Innovative Horticulture Project officially open

Inside the new horticulture facility.

Katikati’s new horticultural hub has sprouted and Katikati Innovative Horticulture Trust members are reaping the rewards of their hard graft.

The purpose-built building has been named GrowHub and officially opened last week.

GrowHub has been an ongoing project to create a facility on Katikati College grounds where budding horticulturists can learn all aspects of the industry.

The building is now ready for use and is “a centre of horticultural educational excellence catering for school aged students, young people not in education, employment or training and the community”, says Katikati Innovative Horticulture project manager Hilary Johnson.

“It will bring together education, skills and training providers offering pathways into horticulture, under one umbrella, based at Katikati College.’’

Many guests attended the opening of GrowHub.

Many industry players and contributors were invited and the ceremonial opening was carried out by local businessmen and long-time players in the kiwifruit industry John Bourke of Wainui Orchards and Sean Carnachan of Western Orchards.

Hilary says the building is named GrowHub to reflect their objectives of growing young people, growing partnerships and connections and its role as a meeting place of learning communities.

Recognition was made of the community and industry support for the project, with donors acknowledged on a large sign at the entrance to the building.

Hilary Johnson with John Bourke and Sean Carnachan.

The building is clad and roofed in dark grey Coloursteel, it features a three metre wide concrete veranda overlooking the students’ raised gardens and out to the Kaimai Ranges.

It has a large open plan area, two break-out rooms, two resource rooms for practical work, a fitted kitchen and externally accessed toilets and shower. There is a minimum of fixed furnishings, allowing for furniture and resources to easily change according to teaching and learning needs.

Around a third of senior students now study horticulture and they are very enthusiastic about their wonderful new facility, Hilary says.