Shane Jones opens the new Kaingaroa Community Centre. Photo / Supplied
Shane Jones opens the new Kaingaroa Community Centre. Photo / Supplied
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says new developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development.
Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty to open a landmark community centre and a new connecting road that will streamline industry in the region.
Jones said it was not only the major infrastructure developments that were making improvements for rural communities, and the two sites he visited on Friday will have plenty of flow-on effects.
“Both of these projects are part of wider development packages helping to re-energise these communities, boost regional pride and increase economic growth,” Jones said.
The opening of the new Kaingaroa Community Centre, the final milestone in the $11.1 million Kaingaroa Community Development Project, was supported by $7.2m in regional development funding.
The project also received co-investment totalling $3.9m from Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Tumu Paeroa (Office of the Māori Trustee), and the Ministry of Health. Co-funding from local business K.L.C. Ltd was also crucial to the completion of the wider project.
The community centre will house a medical centre, complete with a kaumātua and rangatahi space, as well as meeting and training rooms. The centre also includes a digital hub to improve internet access and connectivity in the community.
“Decades of inadequate funding and maintenance meant infrastructure investment was greatly needed for the revitalisation of the village. The completion of the project enables the community to realise its aspirations to grow and thrive,” Jones says.
The development project created 306 fulltime equivalent jobs during construction, many filled by Kaingaroa residents. He Ira Kāhui Anamata (HIKA) Trust, a Māori-owned business, was the main contractor for building the community centre.
Jones also opened the Kawerau Off-Highway Road. That project received $2.8m Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding, and $785,000 co-investment from Kawerau-based Sequal Lumber Ltd.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones opening the Kawerau Off-Highway Road.
The 1.6km road off State Highway 34 connects Kawerau Industrial Park to a private forestry road, removing big trucks from local roads and providing efficient connectivity between the Putauaki Industrial Park and a planned container rail terminal.
“This opening is the result of partnering with Māori landowners, Kawerau District Council, local businesses and the community to support growth for the town,” says Jones.
“The broader Kawerau Putauaki Industrial Development package is providing cost-effective roading and industrial solutions for established industries in Kawerau and, once completed, will attract new industries and further private sector investment.”
