Waipā District Council’s most extensive roadshow yet, involving 11 towns and villages and at least 22 events, rolls out this week.
The six-week-long engagement will have the council seeking comment on Ahu Ake, Waipā's draft Community Spatial Plan. When finalised, the plan will lock in a 30-year blueprint and guide how Waipā manages issues ranging from growth and housing to economic development, arts and culture, transportation and more.
Group manager strategy Kirsty Downey said direct engagement last year with partners and key stakeholders, including mana whenua, had provided the council with a clear “first-cut” direction on key issues.
“That’s provided us with a good baseline and means we’ve been able to put some initial lines in the sand. Now it’s time for the community to see what these broad principles might mean for their own towns and neighbourhoods,” Kirsty said.
“This is not pie-in-the-sky stuff; we are coming at it from a convenient lens. Ahu Ake will have a direct bearing on our future and on the future of our children and grandchildren growing up in Waipā. There are some really important conversations to be had around issues like climate change, housing intensification and transport links. We need those conversations now, so council can reflect community priorities in plans and budgets.”
