Further work on externally funded community hubs, including future library facilities for Mangawhai and Dargaville, has paused following the February council briefing.

After considering concept plans and discussing significant costs of up to $14 million associated with delivering projects of this scale, elected members directed staff to pause any further work on the hubs.

Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson says the direction given by elected members is the best way forward at this time,

“We are all keenly aware of the current tough economic climate. For now, it’s not appropriate to progress any further with this, especially at the scale we’ve seen here.”

Concept development and feasibility studies for a hub on either side of the district have been funded through the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) via Better Off Funding. No funds from rates have been used.

The location for the Mangawhai hub is yet to be finalised, with land already owned by Council under consideration. The Dargaville hub is planned for Jaycee Park, the site next to the Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall (Dargaville Town Hall), with the potential to establish a community trust that would secure funding and oversee the development of this project.

Council consulted with the community through the last Long Term Plan process (2024–2027) and used the feedback to help develop concept plans for both hubs. The concept plans for the hubs incorporated library facilities as well as a range of other services.

Mayor Jepson said this pause will also enable the reassessment of plans that support a more appropriate costing level. View the council discussion and decision on the Kaipara District Council YouTube channel (from 39:26). You can view the concept designs for the Dargaville and Mangawhai community hubs on the council briefing agenda.

Note: The community hub concept development is a separate project to the Dargaville Hall Town Hall reclad.

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