Ngaaruaawahia Community Hub and Library

Since the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan, Council has included funding for a new Library and Community Hub that better serves the people of Ngaaruawaahia and the surrounding area, the project budget is just over $7.5m. 

Why don’t you use the money elsewhere?

The community has told us how much it values social infrastructure, like this project in Ngaaruawaahia to provide services to the community.

The existing Ngaaruawaahia library building is nearing the end of its life. It is no longer financially viable to maintain, and won’t be able to meet the current and future needs of the community.

Will our rates increase again, is this what they’re paying for? 

No . The project is already budgeted.  

Once we have collected community feedback, a more formal concept which reflects the community’s needs and aspirations will be developed.

Factoring in planning, procurement and construction, we expect the new community hub and library to open in the second half of 2028.

Before making any decisions about how the site should be developed, Council wants to understand what the community needs, and would like, from this new facility.

This layout has been prepared based on what we have heard previously to help people visualize what might be possible.

If you don’t like it (or if you do), please tell us! Your feedback is crucial to making this a well utilised and valued community facility. 

Both should be achievable! The site is large (from 56 Great South Road to the current library building) so it could be used for more than just civic activities.

We are open to looking at what else could be accommodated in this location. Any commercial option would need to be a complimentary activity, which benefits the community and also provides a commercial return to support delivery of the library and hub at a reduced overall cost to Council. 

The 2019 Library Strategy identified that the current library is too small for the community it serves. The building is also old and becoming more and more costly to run and keep maintained.    

Nobody uses the library, why don’t we get rid of it? 

With around 6,500 visitors every month, Ngaaruawaahia Library is already a well-used and valued community space.
It’s a place to read, study, connect, and take part in activities and events for all ages.

The library is one of few truly inclusive places in our community with a team ready to support however they can.
It’s open to everyone and provides access to Wi-Fi, printing, computers, and programmes that bring people together.

Continued support and development will only strengthen its role as a shared space for learning, creativity, and connection.

You’re more than welcome to come and experience all that the library has to offer.

We know that this area is often used for parking and the layout shared has much less than currently.

There is quite a lot of free street parking within walking distance of the site which would be suitable for most able-bodied people.

This process is a chance to provide your thoughts if you would prefer more of the site be kept for parking.