What's On in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt | Āperira & Mei - April & May 2024

Kairangi ki Tai

What’s On in Lower Hutt

Āperira & Mei

April & May 2024

Kaupapa ā-Mua ki Te Awa

Anzac Day services and events

Photo credit: Reef Reid

Ngā Hua o Roto

He Kōrero nā te

Koromatua Message from the Mayor

Over the next few weeks, you will get to have your say on the Draft 10 Year Plan for 2024-34.

Consultation is open from Tuesday 2 April through to Friday 3 May — and your voice is vital in helping us strike that right balance.

Councillors, Community Board Members and I will be available to talk about the Plan across the consultation period. Read on to see when we will be in your closest Neighbourhood Hub.

Elected members will consider the feedback as part of the process to adopt the new 10 Year Plan, which will take effect on 1 July 2024.

On April 25 we will be holding our Anzac Day services, which is a time of reflection and remembrance. Lower Hutt’s Dawn Service will be held at Anzac Memorial Lawn at 6am, followed by the Civil Service at 9:45am.

There are also opportunities to craft poppies and hanging decorations over a cup of tea at the War Memorial Library in the week leading up to Anzac Day. Check out the highlights section for times.

Finally, nominations for our Civic Honours are now open! The Civic Honours celebrate outstanding volunteers in our community by

recognising the service they’ve given to Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt.

There are so many people that make our city a place where people can thrive. These Honours recognise those who have given so much to our community, often without recognition or reward.

If you know of someone who deserves a Civic Honour, head to hutt.city/civicawards to find out how you can make a nomination. Nominations close at 5pm on Monday 15 April.

Campbell Barry Mayor of Lower Hutt

campbell.barry@huttcity.govt.nz

CampbellBarryMayor

Campbell_Barry

Ngā Kaupapa Whakahira e Heke Mai Ana

Announcements

Connected Pop-Up

War Memorial Library

Tuesday 2 April, 11am

Tuesday 7 May, 11am

Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub

Tuesday 9 April, 11am

Tuesday 14 May, 11am

Walter Nash Neighbourhood Hub

Thursday 18 April, 11am

Thursday 23 May, 11am

A joint initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), connecting you to support for mahi and training.

Programmes at the Dowse Art Museum

From workshops to talks and tours, head over to fb.com/thedowse to keep up-to-date with what’s on.

Closures

Easter Monday

Monday 1 April

Anzac Day

Friday 25 April

Our admin building on Laings Road and our Neighbourhood Hubs will be closed for these public holidays.

Council Meetings

Want to keep up to date with what’s on at Council? Find out when the next council meetings are, access meeting minutes and agendas or watch the live stream by heading to hutt.city/councilmeetings

Do you prefer online?

Sign up to get this booklet delivered by email at the start of the month, by going to hutt.city/whatsonemail

Tell us what you think!

We would love to hear what you think about this booklet! Do you like the format? What can we do better?

Email whatson@huttcity.govt.nz to give your feedback.

Report a Problem

If you spot any issues or problems with any of our services, you can log a job using our online portal by going to hutt.city/rap

For urgent noise, pollution, sewer, water, stormwater and animal issues call us 24/7 on 04 570 6666

Whaowhia te pae tawhiti Help us take the next steps

Consultation for our next 10 Year Plan runs from 2 April to 3 May.

We want to hear from you!

Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt is growing, there are challenges we need to plan for and opportunities we want to make the most of. This is one of our most important 10 Year Plans, we’d like to hear from as many of you as possible.

What’s most important to you when it comes to the options we’re proposing?

Is there something else you’d like to share, that will help us with our long term planning?

Have we taken the right approach with the updates to our strategies and policies?

Have your say and help us take the next steps: hutt.city/10yearplan

haveyoursay@huttcity.govt.nz

Consultation opens Tuesday 2 April. Go online, visit one of our neighbourhood hubs, or scan this QR code to fill in a feedback form.

Join us at these community Kōrero drop in sessions with Councillors to learn more about the 10 Year Plan and give feedback.

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

Friday 5 April, 4pm-5pm

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

Saturday 6 April, 12pm-1pm

Moerā Neighbourhood Hub

Tuesday 9 April, 3pm-4pm

Maungaraki Community Library

Saturday 13 April, 10am-12pm

Walter Nash Centre

Saturday 13 April, 2pm-3pm

Petone Neighbourhood Hub

Sunday 14 April, 3pm-4pm

War Memorial Library

Wednesday 17 April, 7pm-8pm

Kōraunui Neighbourhood Hub

Saturday 20 April, 2pm-3pm

Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub

Saturday 27 April, 2pm-3pm

Dowse Art Museum

Wednesday 1 May, 5pm-6pm

Moerā; nestled in a landscape steeped in cultural heritage

We are proud to announce the Moerā Neighbourhood Hub Cultural Narrative as gifted from Mana Whenua.

Having a Cultural Narrative when producing a new building, informs the project design vision based on Mana Whenua landmarks and history. This will provide crucial insight when developing a functioning, community-based Neighbourhood Hub.

Moerā holds a significant place between the embrace of a major mahinga kai (cultivation field) area known as Te Umumamaku and the historic battleground of Pū-harakeke-tapu (Hutt Park, where the Pelorus Trust Sports House is situated). Tracing a visual connection across the river to the west, you encounter the remnants of another storied conflict that took place on the whenua known as Paetūtū and Paekākā, murmuring the echoes of battles long gone.

Within its geographical bounds, Moerā stands as a testament to the strategic wisdom of its ancestral planners. Purposely situated near the meeting point of Te Awa Kairangi river and Te Awamutu and Waiwhetū streams – essential routes in a maritime trade network that transported goods toward Te Ngaengae (Naenae).

The importance of the history of Moerā resonates through time, imprinting its mana into the stories of Te Āti Awa and the diverse tapestry of hapū and iwi that have discovered solace and settlement here over the eras. This tapestry now weaves the fabric of the present Moerā, where cultures mix and coexist. The community is a vibrant symphony of Māori and a harmonious blend of other

ethnicities, creating a united community rich in diversity.

It’s these unique historical and environmental aspects of the site (past and present), that will be acknowledged, highlighted, and enhanced in design outcomes.

Late last year, the Hutt City Council Moerā Project Team was involved in a spatial analysis workshop with Design Group Stapleton Elliott (DGSE) - architectural partners on this project. The importance of the Cultural Narrative and community feedback was explored

and by brainstorming together it became apparent how the new neighbourhood hub needs to respond to the community whilst also paying respect to the gifted narrative. This saw an amazing collaboration of knowledge, skill and passion which will funnel into the design proposals.

From here, the Hutt City Council Moerā Project Team and DGSE will define the scope and vision of the project based on the workshop findings and be able to produce initial concepts of the build.

The Big Wrap up

For approximately 10 years, the Big Read has encouraged tamariki to continue their love of reading during the Christmas and Summer break.

Literacy and a love for reading among the community is the goal of the Big Read. Research shows that tamariki can maintain and even increase their reading levels if they keep reading over summer.

The Big Read 2023-24 kicked off with over 104 tamariki taking part in a special Lego launch event - The Big Build. Seven Neighbourhood Hubs hosted a morning of brick building where enthusiastic staff handed out Big Read booklets. They

went out to Christmas parades, kindys, schools, and playgroups to hand out booklets too.

The Big Read received a great response with Hutt City Libraries receiving 1092 total entries - that’s an increase of 195% from the Big Read 2022-23. $1000 worth of Booksellers tokens were given out to 30 prize-winners and all participants received a certificate. Feedback from whānau showed how popular the annual challenge was, with many taking it away on holiday within New Zealand. However, we saw some Big Read participants travel as far as Spain and Germany!

Families were kept busy with fun activities, from storytimes and crafts, games, competitions, and scavenger hunts, ending with a Bubble Flashmob.

Striking new artwork coming to Wainuiomata

Wainuiomata has a stunning new artwork to look forward to with work beginning soon on the pikitia pakitara (mural) for the basketball court that was opened next to the community hall in 2023.

Following a robust selection process involving representatives from Wainuiomata Marae, Mana Whenua and Hutt City Council, artist, Chevron Hassett (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu), was chosen by the selection panel to create a design for the court.

Members of the panel admired the striking mahi toi presented by Chevron in his submission as well as the concept of whanaungatanga - connecting, working, and maintaining relationships within the community - that weaves through his work.

Born in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt in 1994 and raised in Naenae, Chevron boasts a Bachelor of Design with Honours from Massey University and has won both a Creative New Zealand Ngā Manu Pīrere award and an Arts Foundation Springboard award. His work has been admired across Aotearoa and Australia.

Encompassing photography, video, sculpture and installation-based toi, his designs engage with young Māori, often speaking directly to their lives.

“We’re excited to see Chevron’s new piece come to life in the heart of Wainuiomata, right under the feet of our rangatahi” says Mayor Campbell Barry. “This neighbourhood is a culturally vibrant, community-minded place, an artist with his vision was perfect to visually bring together the history and future aspirations of Wainuiomata.”

The finalised design has been created in collaboration with Chevron, Mana Whenua representatives, Wainuiomata Marae, and Hutt City Council. Chevron’s design reflects the cultural narrative, Te Whata Kai ā Māui, gifted by Kura Moeahu, which explores the realm of pūrākau, the traditional origin stories of the whenua and the geographic landmarks that exist within Wainuiomata and the surrounding area.

Want more info?

To follow along with the journey visit the project page on hutt.city/wainuiart

Design description

Installation of the mural begins 18 March, reopening after Easter (weather dependent).

Chevron Hassett’s design for the court aligns to the central themes in Te Whata Kai o Māui.

Taratara a Kae:

• Te Whata Kai o Māui is reflected in this pattern which takes the Kaokao position; Taratara a Kae acts as both a protective mechanism for Pātaka Kai (Whata Kai) and as a reflection of the abundance of food and hospitality.

• The protective aspect of the design has been expanded to convey the aspiration and intent to ensure safety in the community of Wainuiomata.

Pītau a Manaia:

• Te Kāhui Mounga is reflected in the spirals coming from the raperape form and represents unity, growth and wellbeing. This speaks to the gathering of them atop Pukeatua and the consequent growth of the whenua as a result of the processes they conducted.

• Te Kāhui Tupua is reflected and represented by the two manaia in this design, depicting Ngake and Whātaitai respectively.

• The movement of the pattern is a representation of growth and transformation the whenua underwent after the emergence of Te Kāhui Tupua.

Let the library come to you!

Our libraries believe everyone in our community should have equal access to our collections, which is why our Home Library Service is available to anyone unable to visit the library themselves.

The Home Library Service provides access to library items for customers who are either temporarily or permanently unable to easily visit their local library.

The Home Library Service team work with customers to establish a reading profile based on their interests and requirements.

The team then curates a range of books, audiobooks, and magazines, that suit the customer’s preferred topics, genres, authors, and writing styles. Everything is then delivered to your door, either by a family member, or a library-organised volunteer.

It can be an ongoing service, or a short-term fix, and delivery dates can be flexible, as can the amount of books in each delivery.

The reading profile can be kept up to date via feedback to the team.

If you live in a rest home, check whether they are a member of our service. If they aren’t, get them to contact their local library to join up.

If you are not already a member of Hutt City Libraries, we can sign you up as part of the process.

Please note, this service is only available to Lower Hutt residents, and is dependent on staff resource.

Events in the palm of your hand

With the Hutt City Libraries app, you can reserve your next read, self-checkout your items, search the library, access your account, find information on our libraries, see regular event information and book events and get reminders!

Get it by going to hutt.city/libraryapp or scan the QR code.

Sign up for free!

To sign up for a library card, drop in to your nearest Neighbourhood Hub, or go to hutt.city/joinlibraries to sign up online.

How to access events

1. Open the Hutt City Libraries app on your device

2. Click All Events on the main page

3. Click on More, next to Upcoming Events to see all upcoming events. You can filter events by using the grey buttons at the top of the page

How to filter

Are you looking for a specific event?

Click into the search bar and type a key word and then click Return or Enter on your keyboard.

Alternatively, you can click on the Category drop down box, and choose a tag.

Are you looking for events at a specific location or on a specific date?

Click on the Location drop down box and select your location. To select a date, click on the Date drop down box and select a date or date range.

How to book an event

After selecting an event, click on the Book Now button. Fill in your details and click on Book Now

How to add an event to your calendar

After selecting an event, click on Add to Calendar, under the date and time.

Not a fan of using the app?

Head to hutt.city/whatsonevents to see our events website, with all the same information and features as on the app!

Get to know ... Pani Christie

Staff Profile

Libraries are much more than just books. Pani Christie would know. Being a Pou Tiaki (Host) at Wainuiomata would obviously sway her view.

Libraries and Hubs have been a place of solace for Pani, so she wants to make it ‘official’ and has set her sights on becoming a librarian (a dream she’s held for nearly 10 years now).

To realise her goal, Pani has taken on the commitment of two years study for a New Zealand Diploma in Library & Information Studies. She is doing this alongside full-time work at Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub as well as her most important job of being a mother of two.

A grant from LIANZA (Library & Information Association of New

Zealand Aotearoa) for library studies has paid the Open Polytech fees associated with this studysomething Pani probably wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t for another amazing colleague, April Stevenson (Content Specialist for Neighbourhood & Library Services).

Pani’s love of helping her community, connecting people with information, researching, and the development and training on offer for Hutt City Libraries staff has taken her down an amazing career path she only hopes to build on.

She is also fluent in Te Reo, and she tries to incorporate it into everything she does.

Having experienced first-hand the way in which a librarian provides so much more than a book recommendation, she wants to give back to her community and be that librarian for the people of Wainuiomata - a librarian, a team leader, enhancing the mana of her colleagues and community, in an encouraging and supportive space.

School Holidays events

Bricks & Pieces: Neighbourhood Challenge

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

13-27 April, 2pm-3pm

War Memorial Library

Friday 19 April, 2pm-4pm

Saturday 20 April, 12pm-3pm

Stretch your imagination and build your construction skills in this fun LEGO® challenge for ages 5 and up.

Family Play Morning

War Memorial Library

Tuesday 16 & 23 April, 9:30am-11:30am

Enjoy a cuppa while keeping an eye on the tamariki as they explore and play with puppets, playdough, stories, board games, and more. For ages 2 and up and their caregivers.

Board Game Night

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

Wednesday 17 & 24 April, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Pop in for games with friends and whanau. You’re welcome to bring games and snacks (no hot food).

Goose Loose in Petone

Petone Neighbourhood Hub

Thursday 18 April, 2pm

Come to Petone to hear stories about geese and join in on a goose games and activities.

Lands Beyond

Maungaraki Community Library

Thursday 18 April, 3:15pm-4:30pm

Find treasure, create a fantastical story and explore Lands Beyond in a session inspired by The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.

Transport your Neighbourhood

Petone Neighbourhood Hub

Tuesday 23 April, 2pm

Bring your imagination and construction skills and have fun helping to build a transport system, with any type of train, bus, bike, boat or car. Build roads, bridges, canals and maybe even penguin paths! For ages 5 and up.

Bricks & Pieces: Map Time

Petone Neighbourhood Hub

Sunday 28 April, all day

Come to Petone Library and using LEGO®, make a mini-build map of a familiar area any place you know well or really like. You could even make a treasure map or road map to show your school.

Ngā Kaupapa Hirahira

Highlights

Multicultural Playgroup

War Memorial Library

Tuesdays, 9:30am-11:30am

Crafts, music, and morning tea, all while celebrating our languages & cultures. Only during term time.

Anzac Day

Crafting Poppies

War Memorial Library

22 & 23 April, 10:30am-12pm

Meet over a cuppa and crochet, knit or glue poppies.

Craft Morning

War Memorial Library

Wednesday 24 April, 10am-12pm

Cut and colour a hanging decoration for Anzac Day.

Dawn Service

Anzac Memorial Lawn, Queens Drive, Central Hutt

Thursday 25 April, 6am

Civic Service

Anzac Memorial Lawn, Queens Drive, Central Hutt

Thursday 25 April, 9:45am

Autumn Plant Swap

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

Saturday 6 April, all day

Bring any seeds, seedlings, and plants to swap. Everyone is welcome - there’s plenty to go around!

Tai Chi

War Memorial Library

Friday 12 April, 1pm-2pm

Come along to hear Zhang Changnian, from the Chinese Testing and Learning Center, explain and demonstrate the intricacies of Tai Chi.

SeniorNet Social Morning

War Memorial Library

Friday 26 April, 10am-11:30am

Local Heritage Specialist, Clark Stiles, will talk about the Petone Navals, a volunteer artillery unit based in Petone from 1883 to 1910.

Sign Language Storytime

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

Wednesday 8 May, 10:30am

War Memorial Library

10 & 11 May, 11am

Celebrate NZ Sign Language Week with stories and crafts. For ages 2 and up with their caregiver.

Tie-dye Shirts for Pink Shirt Day

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

Thursday 9 May, 3pm

Bring in a white cotton shirt, dye it, and collect it the following week, just in time for Pink Shirt Day!

Artist Workshop

War Memorial Library

Friday 10 May, 10am-12pm

Join local artist Zoe to connect with your creativity through a series of open ended play invitations.

May Music Month

War Memorial Library

Saturday 11 May, 1pm-1:30pm

Celebrate Music Month with our beloved Hutt Community Choir.

Artspot: Music Month

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

Thursday 16 May, 3:30pm

Make music with recycled materials. For ages 5 and up.

Winter Clothes Swap

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

20-25 May, all day

Bring along any clean and in good condition clothing, shoes, accessories you no longer need and swap them for new threads.

Music Month: Muritai School Guitar Concert

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

Monday 27 May, 3:30pm

Join pupils from Muritai school who will showcase their learning.

Samoa Language Week Celebrations

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

Tuesday 28 May, 3:30pm

Wednesday 29 May, 10:30am

Celebrate Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa with stories and crafts. For ages 2 and up.

Samoa Language Week Storytime

War Memorial Library

Friday 31 May, 11am

Saturday 1 June, 11am

Come along to celebrate Samoan culture with stories and crafts. For ages 2 and up.

Want more?

See the rest of what’s on in Lower Hutt by heading to hutt.city/whatsonevents

Contact Us

huttcity.govt.nz

hutt.city/libraries

hutt.city/pools

dowse.org.nz

The Dowse Art Museum

45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 04 570 6500

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Ōkiwinui

Eastbourne Neighbourhood Hub

38 Rimu Street, Eastbourne 04 562 8042

Eastbourne Summer Pool

Marine Parade, Eastbourne 04 562 7582

Huia Pool + Fitness

Huia Street, Lower Hutt 04 570 6655

Te Kaunihera o Te Awa Kairangi

Hutt City Council

30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 04 570 6666

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Kōraunui

Kōraunui Stokes Valley Neighbourhood Hub

186 Stokes Valley Road 04 562 9050

Whare Pūrākau | Maungaraki Community Library

137 Dowse Drive, Maungaraki 028 2550 3219

McKenzie Baths Summer Pool

79 Udy Street, Petone 04 568 6563

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Moerā Moerā Neighbourhood Hub

107 Randwick Crescent, Moerā 04 568 4720

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Ngaengae

Naenae Neighbourhood Hub

Hillary Court, Naenae 04 567 2859

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Pito-One Petone Neighbourhood Hub

7 Britannia Street, Petone 04 568 6253

Stokes Valley Pool + Fitness

Bowers Street, Stokes Valley 04 562 9030

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Wainuiomata

Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub

1A Queen Street, Wainuiomata 04 564 5822

Wainuiomata Summer Pool Moohan Street, Wainuiomata 04 564 8780

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Taitā

Walter Nash Neighbourhood Hub

Taine Street, Taitā 04 560 1094

Te Wao

Treadwell Street, Naenae

Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Tatau ki te

Maramatanga | War Memorial Library Neighbourhood Hub

2 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt 04 570 6633

Printed on 100% recycled paper using vege inks, please recycle me!

Information was correct at printing. To confirm event information please contact the venue.