Wairoa's main street revitalisation is progressing well with the construction of the community courtyard starting to take shape.

Significant milestones have been reached in quick succession recently, triggered by the installation of the hospitality pod at the end of October. The pod will become a focus of the courtyard, located at the front, middle entrance to the community space. The concrete slab for the courtyard area is now complete and next up will be the pour of the concrete slab around the hospitality pod, with preparation currently underway.

Wairoa District Council recently ran an Expression of Interest campaign to seek a tenant for this space with applicants now being assessed.

On site, the installation of structural steel and the concrete block perimeter wall for the new build at the rear of the location has been completed.

With the Christmas break just around the corner, the team of on-site contractors are working hard to complete these critical components to ensure the project can meet key milestones in early 2023.

The new year will see the new build developed and closed in ready for the internal fit-out to take place in the first quarter of the year.

The community courtyard development will comprise three businesses, including the hospitality pod, with tenancy agreements currently being finalised. The development is set to open in the middle of next year and will provide locals and visitors with a space to gather, socialise, and connect.

Meanwhile, a design review is underway for the former Winter’s building, on the corner of the main street and Locke Street, to ensure a suitable facility can be achieved within the available budget. An architectural team has been engaged to design a cost-effective, fit-for-purpose space that will house the relocated Wairoa i-Site. Conceptual designs are being developed, alongside investigation into earthquake strengthening measures.

Kānoa’s Principal Regional Advisor for Hawke’s Bay, Cameron Osmond, says the project could be a gamechanger for the town. “This is set to be an integrated business facility that will showcase and promote what is special about Wairoa to both visitors and businesses. It’s a real opportunity to bring the best of what the town can offer together in one place and create a buzzing centre of economic energy,” he says.

Te Wairoa E Whanake – Rise Up and Grow Wairoa involves transforming the former main street burnt-out building and the neighbouring former Winter’s building. The project is predominantly funded through a $4.8 million Provincial Growth Fund grant from Kānoa, the Government’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. The project focusses on delivering a multi-functional connected town centre that celebrates Wairoa’s unique heritage and culture.

7 December 2022

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