A survey, designed to get to the heart of community wellbeing in Tauranga City, has been extended until the end of the month.
'We're getting such insightful feedback we really want to keep the conversation flowing,” says Ross Hudson, Tauranga City Council Places & Spaces Planning team leader.
'In particular, we've had a great response from people in Papamoa, Arataki and the Mount, which is awesome, but we'd love to hear more from people in other areas of the city.”
So far, the survey, which asks about community centres in the city, shows overwhelming support for more investment in neighbourhood and specialist centres.
The types of specialist centres people would most like to see include a youth centre, arts centre, and cultural hub.
Suggestions for services include walk-in health clinics, support groups for young parents, budgeting advice, and speed dating.
'We're also hearing our centres should be more inclusive of young people, LGBTQI+, disabled people and ethnic communities,” says Ross.
Overall, he says the early feedback confirms community centres play a vital role in the wellbeing of many neighbourhoods in lots of different ways.
'We've heard that community centres provide a place for inspiring ideas and discussion, a place you can go when things get tough and a place for elders to socialise.
'We've heard they provide space for initiatives that bring communities and cultures together and that they should belong to the community.”
This aligns with feedback from the community during the Council's recent long term plan engagement, which was that different types of community centres were needed to meet the growing needs of the city.
'At the moment most of our centres are used for play and recreation, which is great, but there's room for so much more. It's exciting to see people's ideas and perspectives on how we can grow our centres to meet the needs of our growing communities,” says Ross.
Once the Council has heard what matters most to its communities, it'll put together a plan for short, medium and longer-term actions to improve community centres and prioritise investment across the city.
Share your feedback before November 30.
4 comments
Not you core business
Posted on 24-11-2021 21:14 | By Get our roads
That is not what your ratepayers money should be spent on, art centres, what a joke. the only people who use those are ones that dont have jobs because they are retired which is the majority in Tauranga these days. Stick to your mandate. Tauranga is not a community, it is an overpopulated city that you have not kept up with in growth. You need food banks and Motel housing for the homeless now, not stupid Community hubs dotted all over the place so you feel good about yourself, youth wont use them, they inside all day on playstations cause they dont know what tiggy or tinsaway games outside are. Wastenotwhatnot. Not your money, who cares, you will do what you want for the rich minority as you always do. Fix the bloody roads while your at it.
@Get our roads
Posted on 25-11-2021 13:32 | By morepork
I was moved by the passion in your post. As a Ratepayer, I agree with you that spending our money on "non-essentials" (Like community and art centres) is hard to take when we have things like roads that need attention. But there are some very good points in the article and the quality of life IS affected by such things. Food Banks and Motel housing for the homeless are important, but so are places where people can interact and feel comfortable. Without a place for Humanities our City becomes a drab, soulless, concrete space that no-one wants to be in. (Have you been downtown lately...?) People make a City. And people have needs beyond roads and Food Banks...
Tom Ranger
Posted on 25-11-2021 13:49 | By Tom Ranger
Mr Hudson. I have done the survey and was disappointed but not surprised as to the structure of the questions. As is with all council survey's etc. They are configured in such a way as to make it appear that anyone whom did the survey is in support of. There is NEVER EVER ANY OPTION WHATSOEVER TO SHOW WE DO NOT SUPPORT YOU AND/OR THESE INSANE IDEA'S TO SPEND RATE-PAYERS MONEY AS STUPIDLY AS POSSIBLE! I thought you guys were struggling for money? That's why our rates have increased isn't it? Mr Hudson. These idealistic views should have no place here and if you support them. you need to go as well.
@Morepork
Posted on 02-12-2021 20:36 | By Get our roads
As you say, have you been to Tauranga lately, I have lived here my entire life, so have my parents and their parents etc and seen it decimated in front of my eyes, for what, money, money, money. There has been no vision for Tauranga, plonk houses everywhere without roading is just plain dumb, just destroying a once tropical paradise, now infiltrated by outsiders who dont really give a damn about the place, to them it is somewhere to live, make money and move on, no connection to the land. Yes, growth is good but not at the expense of what Tauranga should be, not what it is now. It is as you say a concrete jungle filled with houses with no lawns, gardens, outside space, thank God we have a few acres that will never be sold to the highest bidder.
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