Following extensive community consultation and deliberations as part of the Long Term Plan 2024-2044, Horowhenua District Council is changing the opening hours across all of its Cultural and Community Centres and Libraries.

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō will now be closed on Sundays, except for the Youth Space, which will remain open from 1pm to 4pm. Additionally, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom will see minor changes to its hours across its seven-day operation. Shannon Library will now be open from 1pm to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, and will only be open on the first Saturday of each month instead of every weekend.

“Reducing the hours of our facilities has been carefully considered by Councillors, not only during Long Term Plan deliberations but also throughout the public workshops leading up to this decision,” says Mayor Bernie Wanden. “By making these adjustments, we’re able to reduce the impact on rates for our community while striking a balance between serving our residents and easing the financial pressure many households are experiencing in the current economic climate.”

Chief Executive Monique Davidson adds, “Although our facility hours have been reduced, the opportunities and programmes we deliver remain unchanged. We understand the importance of these services to our community, and our team is committed to continuing to provide valuable experiences for all who walk through the doors of our facilities.”

The new hours will take effect from Monday 1 July 2024.

The decision to reduce community facility hours was one of the many options considered during the Long Term Plan 2024-2044 consultation process. Councillors recognised the need for challenging choices in challenging times. Through careful debate, they were able to reduce the initially proposed average rates increase from 17.4% to 16.6%, despite fixed costs such as depreciation, insurance, interest, and inflation driving the majority of the increase.

Operating hours from 1 July 2024 are shown below:

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