The opening of the new $6 million multi-purpose facility drew a crowd of 300-plus. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The opening of the new $6 million multi-purpose facility drew a crowd of 300-plus. Photo / Michael Cunningham
A $6 million purpose-built facility for young people and their families, complete with a recreation centre, administration block and community meeting spaces, has opened in Tikipunga.
The Te Ora Hou Northland youth and community centre opened at 104 Corks Rd on Thursday after an almost two-year build. The one-stop-shop foryouth was built on 2ha of land bought from the Tikipunga Children's Home Trust after Te Ora Hou's base at The Pulse in Raumanga ceased to be an option.
The $6 million multi-purpose facility is situated on 2ha. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The site includes a sports field, full-size basketball gym, fitness room, large kitchen, a number of classroom spaces for young people and office and working space for a number of organisations, including supporting community social workers, youth workers, educators, support workers, counsellors and administrators. The design also allows for a number of different community meeting rooms.
Te Ora Hou Northland general manager Lou Davis said the facility is a drop-in centre aimed at young people aged from around 9 to 26.
"Our focus is all about supporting young people and this centre is specially designed for that and it's a first for Whangārei."
Te Ora Hou Northland general manager Lou Davis addresses the crowd at the opening of the new facility. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The site itself has been landscaped to create an environment that is peaceful, relaxed and welcoming for whānau and community who use it. Next to the field are outdoor netball and basketball courts which can be accessed by the public after-hours and on weekends.
Davis said that although the facility was based in a suburb, it catered for all of Whangārei and young people had a way of being resourceful enough to find their way to the site.
Te Ora Hou Northland has been operating in Whangārei for almost 40 years and is affiliated to national network Te Ora Hou Aotearoa, originating in the 1930s with the vision for helping young people.
"The fact that it's still going now and I'm not sure they would have thought that far ahead, and that it's going to continue way beyond our time, what a cool legacy ... in that sense we only stand on the shoulders of those that have gone before us," Davis said.
He said it was much more than just a building: "This will be a place working with a range of organisations to help young people find their place in our community."
Over 300 people attended the opening day on Thursday and Davis called it a celebration of a place built from the kindness and generosity through grants, trusts, donations and the support of local businesses.
