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A dawn blessing for the new Whānau Āwhina Plunket Rotorua building took place on Wednesday morning.
The build has been tipped as “a one-stop hub” with three clinic spaces — two for Plunket and one for use by other organisations, three community meeting spaces and a centralised office.
The new $1 million building in Pukutaua St was expected to be completed later this year after Rotorua Lakes Council gave the green light for the new facility in February.
Matua Bryce Murray (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) blessed the site.
Whānau Āwhina Plunket chief executive Fiona Kingsford broke the sod and thanked local iwi Ngāti Whakaue for its support.
“A huge thank you must go to whaea Norma Sturley (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngati Pikiao, Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Māhanga), and whaea Petrina Marsh (Tūhourangi, Ngati Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) and everyone else in the community who has supported us through fundraising for our new building,” she said.
“We are truly grateful for the support, for what will be a whānau-friendly community hub for future generations of tamariki in Rotorua.
“Having a one-stop hub will make it easier to access our Well Child Tamariki Ora and community services.”
Plunket supported 2254 families in the Rotorua area and about 58 per cent had high health needs.
At present its services were split across two locations in the city, and Whānau Āwhina Plunket property manager Lindsay Seddon said in March that it was “not ideal”.
Seddon said while the building in Pukuatua St had served it well for more than 60 years, the “ever-increasing” cost of repairs and maintenance, plus heating costs and its layout, meant it was no longer fit for purpose.
“Everything we do is centred on supporting tamariki to have the best possible start in life,” she told the Rotorua Daily Post in March.
“We couldn’t have [got] to this point without the support of local iwi Ngāti Whakaue through whaea Norma Sturley, and whaea Petrina Marsh and those that have supported us through fundraising.
“Individuals, the wider Rotorua community, [and] grant support from organisations, including Bay Trust and Lotteries, have all contributed to this project.
“We are truly grateful for the support, for what will be a whānau-friendly community hub for future generations of tamariki in Rotorua.”
