New council office and community space opens in Tamahere

A new Waikato District Council and community space opened this week at the Tamahere Village Hub.

It offers council services as well as a space for the community to use, including meeting rooms, desks and free Wi-fi.

Waikato District deputy mayor and Tamahere councillor Aksel Bech says the space will make it much easier for those in the south of the Waikato district to access council services, to get copies of consultation documents, or to pay their rates or dog registrations.

“Up until now, people in Tamahere, Matangi and Tauwhare did not have a council office nearby. The nearest office was in Nga¯ ruawa¯ hia, which has made it difficult for them,” he says.

“Council’s vision is to create liveable, thriving and connected communities. The new space allows our communities to connect — with council and with each other.”

Waikato District Council customer delivery manager Brian Cathro says the space will be open Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 3pm, will be staffed by council and will offer all the usual over-the-counter council services.

There are two community meeting rooms, which can be booked free of charge, and four workstations where you can use the free Wi-fi with your own device.

Cathro says the space has been made possible by Foster Develop Limited (Fosters), who built the village hub and have funded the rental expense for the premises for an initial three years.

“We have been looking at ways to create an office in Tamahere for several years, but it hadn’t been viable up until now,” he says.

“Fosters share the same values and vision for the community, and they offered Waikato District Council some space to use for the community. They felt having a council presence and a community space would complete the village hub.”

Fosters Group CEO Leonard Gardner says: “We are delighted to be giving back to the Tamahere community.”

Bech says the Tamahere Village Hub adds real value to the local community. “There has been a lot of hard work put in by the Tamahere Community Committee on behalf of the local residents.

“I am extremely excited to see this new space opening and I encourage local residents to come down and check it out.”

The address for the new council and community Space is Block C, Level 1, 65 Devine Rd.

The council plans to refine or expand the services in the future, after taking time to see and hear what is suitable for the community.