Wellington mayoralty: Aro Valley election debate to be held in funeral home as community centre gets renovated

Lychgate Funeral Home. Photo / Lychgate Funeral Home

The infamous Aro Valley election debate will be held in a funeral home this year, as the community centre undergoes renovations.

The Lychgate Funeral Home will host the iconic event – but its owner Stu Print is unsure whether the traditional water pistols will be utilised during the debate.

"That's one of the details we haven't discussed – we feel part of the community too and it's part of the community idiosyncrasies that we love and appreciate, so if we can accommodate that without causing damage to our premises we will."

The election debate usually sees more than 100 people pack out the Aro Valley Community Centre, spilling out onto the street. They're armed with water pistols if candidates displease them, and hecklers are all but encouraged.

Print told the Herald it's a night he enjoys – and he'd like to think offering up his facility will help keep it going.

"I'd like to think people appreciate it. We love being part of it and I think it'd be nice to host the community at our place. Obviously with council plans for Aro Valley there's some really big issues coming up so the more people can be aware of what's happening, the better."

Vote enrolments close on August 12 – the same day nominations close.