The people of Pirongia have made their views clear about their community halls – and their feedback will play a crucial role in shaping decisions about the future of the facilities.
In October, Waipā District Council received more than 60 responses from the community regarding the use of the Pirongia Community Centre, Memorial Hall and the Rugby and Sports Centre.
Property manager David Varcoe said the strong community engagement reflects Pirongia residents’ passion for their local halls.
“Their valuable feedback will help the council understand the community’s needs and priorities, ensuring decisions are both responsive to these needs and financially responsible,” Varcoe said.
Both the Memorial Hall and the Community Centre require significant investment for renewals and maintenance and to ensure they are fit for future generations.
The Memorial Hall, built in 1922 with community funds, is owned by the council though the land is administered by Department of Conservation, which means the property cannot be easily sold.
The Community Centre was purchased in 2009 using endowment funds and would need to see the proceeds from any sale reinvested into Pirongia for community benefit.
“Through the most recent survey, we asked residents if they supported selling the Community Centre to use those funds to improve the Memorial Hall as this would have been the most straightforward option given the properties’ statuses. However, the community has clearly expressed that they do not support this approach,” Varcoe said.
The survey also highlighted where the community would like the Council to invest. The Community Centre was the most popular choice, with 40 votes, followed by the Rugby and Sports Club with 12 votes, and then Memorial Hall with 9 votes.
“There is not enough funding available to maintain all the halls, so it was essential to gather community input to understand where their priorities lie,” Varcoe said.
No decisions have been made yet and the next step in this project will involve gathering further feedback from mana whenua, the Pirongia Ward Committee, and other local community groups.
