Waihi Beach Opens $5m Community Hub Te Ara Mātauranga

Waihi Beach now has a brand-new library, service centre and community hub four times the size of its predecessor. The $5 million, 400-square-metre facility — named Te Ara Mātauranga, meaning 'The Pathway to Knowledge' — offers meeting rooms, public computers, free wifi, bring-your-own-device workspaces and a table for community activities, along with an expanded book collection and longer opening hours.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council's Julia Edgecombe said the space was designed to be much more than a library — a place for social interaction and community building for people of all ages. For Waihi Beach School next door, the facility provides resources and welcoming spaces so rangatahi feel comfortable using services now and after they leave kura.

Tangata whenua were deeply involved in shaping the building's identity. Ōtāwhiwhi Marae chair Reon Tuanau said the aim was for the entire journey to involve the people and the whole community — something he felt had been achieved. Te Whānau a Tauwhao gifted design elements connecting the building to the local marae, the taiao, and the coastal character of Waihi Beach.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).