The process to rebuild Naenae Pool and re-design the town centre has reached its next milestone, as Hutt City Council launches a special engagement event at Naenae Village Market on Saturday 24 October.

This event kicks off the co-design phase of the project between Council and the Naenae community, and formally lays out the next steps for rebuilding the Pool and town centre. Councillors and Council staff will be on hand to provide information, answer questions and discuss ideas between 11am and 1pm.

Council agreed to start work on a new plan for Hillary Court and the surrounding area when it signed off to progress a plan for a new pool last year. Both of these decisions were in line with the Voice of the Community Report, which laid out the initial conversation between Council and the community regarding the future of Naenae after the Pool closed.

Community workshops were initially delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown, but are now underway with local community groups, Council officers, and Northern Ward Councillor Andy Mitchell coming together to look at options.

Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry says that having the community’s voice and input is critical for this stage of the project, as ultimately this project is about making sure we capture the community's aspirations.

"In the past, Council has progressed projects like these without properly engaging with our communities. It’s my priority as Mayor that we ensure that this is driven by the people of Naenae, so this doesn’t become just another solely Council-led project."

"I recognise that this progress can’t come soon enough, so this work is critical to laying the foundations for the project to run as smoothly as possible. We have been fortunate to receive $27m in Government funding, and we are currently looking to confirm our share in the Long Term Plan.

"It’s our ambition that by June 2021 that we have a completed design and funding locked in to enable us to start construction."

Council will be keeping the community updated on Naenae projects at haveyoursay.huttcity.govt.nz. People can visit the site for the latest news and to continue providing feedback.

Naenae Village Market is held at Hillary Court every Saturday from 11am-2pm, featuring local businesses, fresh fruit and veges, great food and drink, and entertainment.

This Saturday local ceramic artist Tracy Keith will be at the market from 12pm to provide a taster of the techniques he’ll be teaching in his clay workshops, which are part of the free ‘Give it a Go’ series of workshops and classes starting at Naenae in November.

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