Inventive clean-up creates youth space

Petra Roper, 7, and Rachel Nimmo, 16, work on a living wall, part of a youth-designed space on the old Kaikohe Hotel site. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kaikohe youth are using their holidays to turn an ugly vacant lot into an attractive public space.

The project is taking shape on part of the old Kaikohe Hotel site and is due to open today.

It is part of a summer holiday programme organised by Arco, a social enterprise with the long-term aim of creating jobs and training in the design industry.

The youth-designed space will include three seating "pods", a semi-enclosed meeting area, a living wall of herbs and succulents, and a mural by a trio of Hokianga street artists.

Rachel Nimmo, 16, was one of more than 20 young people taking part on Wednesday.

"We like seeing changes in Kaikohe. It didn't look too good down here before we started."

Arco co-founder Ana Heremaia said youth had designed the space before Christmas by looking at other public spaces then deciding who it was intended for and how it would be used. The result, called Nga kete matauranga e toru o Kaikohe (Kaikohe's three baskets of knowledge), would be a space for youth to "hang out" and share ideas.

At the opening, from 3.30pm-5.30pm today, the results of a creative jelly-making workshop yesterday will also be tested.

Arco's long-term goal is to set up a furniture design business giving Kaikohe youth a pathway to training and employment. It is one of 11 social enterprises around the country being mentored through the Akina Launchpad initiative. During summer it is operating out of a pop-up office on Broadway. Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi has allowed its land to be used for the youth space.