Kapiti Mayor Ross Church's optimistic message

MESSAGE IN A BOX: Kapiti Mayor Ross Church places some documents into a wooden container at Coastlands on Friday.

A wooden box in Coastlands is accumulating various notes and photographs from people, which will then be placed in a time capsule at the new Wellington Free Ambulance base in Paraparaumu.

As part of the official opening of the new Warrimoo St station on Saturday, May 28, the time capsule will be placed in the concrete work at the front of the station.

The time capsule will be opened in 2026.

Kapiti Mayor Ross Church was the first person to put place some items in the wooden box, which is located near the Coastlands information kiosk.

He placed a handwritten note, a typed letter, a copy of one his Classic Torque newspaper columns, and a brochure featuring the current council, into the box.

In his typed letter, which will be read by people in 10 years' time, he was very optimistic about the district's future and hoped "it is as we envisioned it for you".

Recent planning had been based around making the district a vibrant, diverse and thriving community, he wrote.

"Right now it is a wonderful place to live."

He wrote about how the district, until the 1980s, was a quiet, peaceful playground north of Wellington, which over the years had seen a lot of growth, especially when the Kapiti Coast District Council was formed in 1989.

In recent years, he said, lots of major facilities had been put in place such as the civic building, the aquatic centre, Otaraua Park, and that land for a dam had been bought.

"Have you built it [a dam] yet?"

He noted the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway could be open by the end of the year.

"It's an old road for you, but for us it's exciting and new, and will change Kapiti forever - for the good.

"We believe it will open up huge opportunities for us and for you."

He mentioned the iconic Kapiti Island.

"Recently I was with local iwi leaders when we took 20 kiwis off the island to rehome them on the mainland.

"The island is a self-sustaining haven for our treasured kiwi.

"I can only imagine what it is like now."

The district was in good heart and was strong, growing and dynamic.

"We hope you are all loving it as much as we are today."