ZEAL Kāpiti’s new youth development centre quickly nears its end-of-June completion date and local dignitaries were invited on a walk- through the building last week for a sneak peek.

ZEAL Kāpiti’s premier centre will be in the former fruit and vegetable barn located beside the Pak ‘n’ Save in Paraparaumu. Work to transform the site into a dynamic youth development space kicked off in mid-January.

Appointed ZEAL advisory group member Councillor James Cootes says the new centre is a pivotal component to delivering a wide ranging and progressive developmental environment for community youth across the District.

“I’m really impressed with the work ZEAL does in our community. It creates pathways connected through creativity from the schools back to the centre. With a total catchment of 3,368 young people amassing Kāpiti’s colleges, it’s essential that we can offer a vibrant, central place where youth can go to express themselves, feel safe, and be valued in a group of their peers.”

The youth development centre was identified as a priority for Kāpiti youth by the Kāpiti Youth Council through extensive consultation with local young people. It was also one of the major projects identified in the Council’s FutureKāpiti - Long term plan 2015-2035 and was endorsed by the community during consultation on the plan.

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