Rotorua set to get a community kai hub

A community kai hub, complete with a kumara museum, commercial kitchen and vegetable garden, is being developed and organisers want to hear from locals about what they want to see.

Committee member Jasmin Jackson said the hub was a project that had been in the pipeline for a while.

The Kai Rotorua team have partnered with Rotorua Lakes Council, Scion and Toi Ohomai to make the food hub possible.

"It's a living building, a large commercial kitchen, a cafe, a space for hui, workshops and events, a kumara museum and a permaculture garden," Jackson said.

"The purpose is to have a base of operation for Kai Rotorua."

The team have undertaken a widespread survey to help determine what the community would like the space to look like.

"The survey is to determine whether it's something the community wants and so far it's been overwhelmingly positive, we've had really good feedback."

Committee member Ian McBride left, Rotorua Lakes Council resource advisor Monica Quirke, committee member Jasmin Jackson, Scion sustainable architect Andrea Stocchero, committee member Te Rangikaheke Kiripatea and Scion science leader Doug Grant are working together on the project. Photo/Ben Fraser

Scion's sustainable architect Andrea Stocchero and science leader Doug Gaunt are providing free advice to Kai Rotorua on the type of building they can operate from.

"I've been helping Kai Rotorua understand sustainable building options," Stocchero said.

He said it was about showing the team how a sustainable building strongly aligned with their vision of food, natural environment and community.

"Their vision and way of living tie in with Scion's aims to create a circular bio-based economy for New Zealand," Gaunt said.

The council's strategic development manager Rosemary Viskovic said the work the council was doing with groups such as Kai Rotorua aligned with the council's Sustainable Living Strategy.

"Alongside Healthy Families Rotorua and Toi te Ora Public Health, the council have supported the development of Kai Rotorua by providing a meeting space and helping to share their work with the wider community."

The council has also supported some of their projects such as the kumara harvest through grants from the Neighbourhood Matching Fund.

To take part in the survey visit the Kai Rotorua Facebook page or click here.