A building once set for demolition will soon become a dedicated hapori (community) hub for Manutuke, fulfilling a vision from the local community dating back to the 1980s.
The Manutuke Community Youth Club (MCC) was established in the 1980s to create positive opportunities for the community’s young people and their whānau.
In 2023, a 305-square-metre building was offered to the club and relocated to the former YMP site on Whakato Road, Manutuke, creating an opportunity to establish a dedicated community hub. Te Tai Ruruku o Manutuke Manapou (TTRMM), made up of original MCC members and Rongowhakaata iwi members, was formed to oversee the hub's development and operations.
“I was one of the original youth club members,” says Ingrid Brown, TTRMM representative.
“The idea was always to create opportunities for our people and a place where whānau could connect and access support. It’s special to see that vision becoming a reality for current and future generations.”
For many years, Manutuke has lacked a dedicated facility that is consistently available for activities. The closure of the local dairy, fuel store and post office further reduced opportunities for everyday connection within the village.
“The hub will be an everyday community space,” says TTRMM representative Sharon Maynard.
“It will create opportunities for people to reconnect and join in, enjoy and benefit from a range of activities.”
Once operational, the hub will make it easier for organisations to deliver support closer to home. It will serve as a versatile space for health and wellbeing services, local sport clubs and kura use, cultural wānanga, civil defence emergency response, and other activities that meet community needs.
“Ultimately, it’s about what the community wants. The hub belongs to the community and its future will be shaped by the people who use it,” says Sharon.
Trust Tairāwhiti contributed $98k to TTRMM towards the final stages of the project, with Te Rūnanganui o Tūranganui-a-Kiwa as the fundholder. In 2023, the Trust also granted $246k towards relocating the building to its current site, with additional support from the Lottery Community Facilities fund. Further funding support towards the facility has been provided by the Eastern & Central Community Trust.
The final stage includes interior painting, installation of the kitchen, flooring, showers and toilets, and completion of the septic system, carpark, fencing, and decking. The hub is expected to open by the end of the year.