The beautiful sound of waiata ā-ringa sung by local tamariki filled the early morning silence in Naenae today as part of the blessing ceremony for the new Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness.

The specially written waiata ā-ringa, recalling the history of Naenae, was performed by hundreds of local school students who have been rehearsing these items for the past three years.

Mayor Campbell Barry says Tā i te Kawa (blessing) was a significant and moving ceremony that reinforced how the new pool and fitness centre will be at the heart of the local community.

"The closure of the old pool in 2019 hit the Naenae community hard. The pool was an important part of the city and regional aquatic network, but more importantly it was the beating heart of Naenae - a gathering place, a place that supported community wellbeing and welcomed visitors."

"Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness is a state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly facility. I’m delighted that we have been able to deliver the pool on time and under budget. This incredible new space is a sign of what we can achieve when Council and community work together. I'm really excited about what this means for the future of the Naenae community."

Kura Moeahu Tiamana, Chairman of Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, provided the cultural narrative for Te Ngaengae.

"Today is a significant milestone for everyone in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai. This pool will be enjoyed by all tamariki and their whānau who have joined us to celebrate and restore the mauri of the building.

"The haka (traditional chant) and waiata ā-ringa (action song) performed today recount the historical and cultural essence of Te Ngaengae, honouring its unique landscape and the ancestral connections to the tupua, Waiwhetū and Awamutu. These compositions acknowledge the rich heritage and stories embedded in the land, serving as a tribute to the mana of Te Ngaengae and its people."

Apollo Projects co-Founder and co-Executive Director Paul Lloyd says being part of communities like Naenae is a privilege they hold dearly.

"After 250,000 hours of mahi and collaboration with Hutt City Council, Mana Whenua, consultants and local contractors, Te Ngaengae stands as a testament to the power of teamwork and the impact Apollo Projects has in delivering meaningful community spaces."

Specially commissioned artworks are prominent at the pool. They include:

• A 5.5 metre pou whenua, standing tall like Tāne beneath the building’s roof reimagined as a trio of waka maumahara (memorial vessels) at the entrance honouring the legendary tupua Te Awamutu and Waiwhetū. They symbolise a bridge between earth and sky, weaving a narrative of connection from the whenua to the cosmos.
• Stars woven by the community at workshops which have been photographed and printed onto film and applied to the glass windows leading to the leisure pool. Participants can have their stars returned to them as a memento of their contribution to the project.
• A weaving pattern to the changing room tiles.
• An "Ara Moana" (pathway through the ocean) pattern to the pillars supporting the roof between the leisure and main pool halls.

Lead artist Matthew McIntyre Wilson and partner Natalie Jones - with cultural design guided by Len Hetet - created large-scale artworks with the community to reflect the cultural story of Te Ngaengae.

"I am privileged to be able to create this work for the Naenae community which pays tribute to the tupua Te Awamutu and Waiwhetū while also acknowledging the people of today who reside in Naenae," McIntyre Wilson says.

Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness is New Zealand’s first aquatic facility to be awarded a prestigious sustainability rating.

Awarded a 5 Green Star rating for its environmentally sustainable design by the New Zealand Green Building Council, the certification represents New Zealand excellence in sustainable building. Recycling and reusing 80% of all demolition material from the old pool saved more than 13,000 tonnes of scrap metal and concrete from going to landfill.

Others who spoke at this morning’s Tā i te Kawa included Labour Party Leader and Remutaka MP the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, Infrastructure Minister the Hon Chris Bishop, and Community Advisory Group (CAG) Chair Lyn Bareta.

The CAG was established to work alongside the project team and inform decisions as needed.

The $68 million facility, one of Lower Hutt’s most significant infrastructure projects, received $27 million in funding from central government through a partnership with Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) via the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group Fund.

The 50m Olympic pool has 10 lanes and two moveable bulkheads so it can be used for multiple activities at the same time. A second leisure pool has a shallow section for family fun, and a deeper section with ramp access, seating and hydro jets for maximum accessibility with two zoom tubes (hydro slides) for double the fun.

You will find a short video of the Tā i te Kawa here.

© Scoop Media