The vision to create a connected, flourishing community with country values has been captured in a new community plan for Te Pōhue that was endorsed by Hastings District Council last week.

Te Pōhue’s community plan has been in the making since 2019, and captures residents’ aspirations to have healthy drinking water, upgraded waste and recycling facilities, improved access to public toilets and better road maintenance of State Highway 5.

Council group manager community wellbeing & services Rebekah Dinwoodie said the plan had been a collaborative endeavour, involving the community and supporting stakeholders including Te Pōhue School, the Community Golf Club, representatives from Ngāti Hineuru and Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trusts, Waka Kotahi, NZ Police, Rayonier Matariki Forests, Meridian Energy, Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management and Hastings District Council.

“As well as laying out the vision, the plan also outlines a schedule of actions to achieve the goals, and council will continue to work with the people of Te Pōhue to monitor the plan and report on its progress to the community and other partners.”

At the same time as the launch of the plan, another special occasion was held at the Te Pōhue Community Hall recently to celebrate a newly-formed Te Pōhue community trust taking over responsibility for the building.

The hall was moved to its current location from the Ohurakura Mill Camp in 1965, and in 1981 was extended with an indoor sport court and stage.

The community had fundraised for both the purchase and the build project; and the hall remained an integral community hub with attention and attendance waxing and waning throughout the decades of its history.

In 2019, Te Haroto resident Kiri Goodspeed made a submission to Hastings District Council calling for a community plan, and as part of that signalled that the community hall needed to be re-ignited.

A new committee was appointed in 2021 to manage the hall and Council provided a building condition report to assist with a laundry list of maintenance items to bring the hall back into compliance and usability, she said.

“Once the feasibility was assessed, an enthusiastic group began the task of remediation for the hall and creating a new legal entity to carry the responsibility.”

The newly formed Te Pōhue and Districts Community Charitable Trust will support the outcomes of the Community Plan, and manage the community hall facility.

The trust also sought to support the wider community where possible, Mrs Goodspeed said.

“This has included securing funding for two defibrillators from Hastings District Council and funding for another two from Royston Trust for the greater Te Pōhue, Tarawera and Te Haroto area. This support is fabulous and much appreciated.”

Other initiatives for this year include a planned refurbishment of the hall kitchen, fundraising for hall disability facilities (shower and toilet), and assisting with the Te Pōhue School’s 125th jubilee celebration.

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