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Hororata Community Centre

Feasibility Study – Public Consultation

19 June 2017 Job # 652-00

Mission:

Previous generations have left a number of legacies to the Hororata community. For years,

public spaces such as the Hall and Domain have enriched the lives of many in the Hororata

district and further afield.

The future of Hororata’s public spaces and facilities has become an important discussion for the

local community. Questions are now raised about what this generation can do for the benefit of

the current community and those who will follow them.

Process:

A group called ‘Go Hororata’ has been formed to promote discussion about what public

facilities are needed in Hororata now, and in the future. Go Hororata is made up of local

representatives from the Hororata Reserve Committee, Citizens Committee, Tennis Club,

Scouts, Rifle Club, Play Centre, Parish, Primary School and Hororata Community Trust.

In order for this discussion about public facilities to progress into action, Go Hororata will

develop a concept report to be presented to the Selwyn District Council for inclusion within the

Council’s Long Term Plan. A six step process will be followed to achieve this:

1. Collect feedback from the wider community (through public meetings) about their ideas

for public spaces in Hororata.

2. Create a Summary of Findings document to inform everyone about issues under

discussion.

3. Consolidate ideas into a draft concept for Go Hororata review and comment on

feasibility.

4. Present the draft concept to the wider community for feedback.

5. Incorporate community feedback into the concept as directed by Go Hororata.

6. Present the concept report to to Selwyn District Council in early August for

consideration of inclusion in the SDC Long Term Plan.

Go Hororata has engaged Octa Associates Ltd, an independent project management consultant

to carry out this process and present the final report to Selwyn District Council.

Next Public Meeting to Discuss the Preliminary Findings Memo:

7.00pm, Monday 26th

June at the Hororata Hall

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Preliminary Findings Memo

On Monday 12th

June, Octa Associates held five public consultation meetings in the Hororata

Hall to talk to the community about what they view as a ‘Community Centre’ and what they

would like to see in Hororata’s public spaces. The following report is the feedback Octa received

from these meetings.

The Situation

a) The Hororata Reserve (approx. 90ha) is a large asset to the district. It hosts a number of

different recreational activities and events, however the Reserve is currently under

utilised.

b) The current Hall, originally built in 1894, is viewed by most as no longer fit for purpose.

It is cold, the kitchen is not well equipped and toilet facilities require significant upgrade.

Its proximity to the busy Hororata Road and poor parking are major safety concerns.

c) Hororata currently lacks a central ‘hub’. Currently it is stretched out between the

Church and Substation.

Community Aspirations

1. Increase the use of the Reserve.

2. Have a “fit for purpose” community and event space.

3. Develop a Village centre/hub, making best use of existing assets and building on local

heritage.

Reserve

Hall

Village Starts

Village Ends

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Current Status of Local Public Buildings

▬ The Playcenter is investigating relocating to a section of Council land next to the Primary

School. If this is unsuccessful they would like to explore options to remain behind the

Hall or be associated with a new development.

▬ It is unlikely that the Stone Church will be rebuilt, the Parish has acknowledged that it

would be very expensive to maintain the stone church and the Wooden Building

currently in use is fit for purpose. It may be possible to turn the Stone Church into a Ruin

that does not require the level of maintenance a full building would. The Parish are

committed to maintaining a pleasant environment for the Cemetery located there.

▬ The Tennis Club are currently investigating upgrading the tennis pavilion on the

Reserve.

Community Ideas

1. Ideas to increase the use of the Reserve

• Develop a strategy for Major Events

▬ Expand Highland Games?

▬ Add annual Hot Air Balloon Night Glow?

▬ Mid-winter lights festival?

▬ Music festival?

• Create a central amenity capable of hosting:

▬ Weddings/Parties

▬ Day tours (retirement homes)

▬ Food show / craft beer event

• Develop capacity for sports activities/events

▬ Equestrian Cross Country course

▬ Running and Cycling Races

▬ Kayaking/sailing course

• Develop capacity for recreation activities/events

▬ Camping (private, Scouts, school groups and organized motorhome groups)

▬ Corporate team building

▬ Extend the current walkway around the township and down to the church.

▬ Restore the Edwardian Lake

▬ Further develop Millennium Area/BBQ Area with parking, more seatings, signage

and footpath upgrades

▬ Improve toilet facilities

▬ Beautify the Old Quarry with planting/landscaping

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• Create a Native Recreational Park – plant out part (20-30ha) of the Reserve with native

trees, create a lake, walking/biking tracks and camping area. This could attract local and

international visitors for picnics, fishing, canoeing, walking/cycling and learning about

NZ ecosystems.

• Develop an agriculture/horticulture training farm for school children in the district

(attract private sector sponsorship to do this)

• Further develop the Hororata Brand/Image

▬ Create walk/cycleways to link Hororata to Coalgate, Glentunnel and Whitecliffs.

▬ Tree planting – rata trees?

▬ Water story – whiskey tasting?

• Have a permanent commercial tenant on the Reserve to increase foot traffic in the

area. Possibilities include but not limited to; the Playcenter, a hospitality venture, tourist

venture, retail venture.

• Use Central Plains Water to:

▬ to fill Edwardian Lake and irrigate Reserve planting.

▬ to develop a lake for motor-free recreation – sailing, kayaking, wakeboarding on

a wire.

▬ Plant woodlots of high value timber trees for future revenue.

2. Ideas for Community and Events Spaces

• Celebrate the history of the area

• Acknowledge the RSA War Memorial

• Incorporate the special features of the current Hall (wooden ceiling)

• Have great acoustics for performances

• Be safe for young children

• Have good parking

• Feature the great view of the mountains

• Have a commercial kitchen for functions and private hire

• Utilise a variety of spaces for different functions (large and small)

▬ Parties/weddings/funerals/events

▬ ANZAC service

▬ Sports competitions and fitness classes

▬ Meetings

▬ Primary School events

▬ Civil Defense station

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• Incorporate structural features of the Stone Church to acknowledge local history

3. Ideas to create a central ‘Hub’ for Hororata

• Develop a ‘Village Feel’

• Consolidate new development on the Reserve

• Provide good facilities / free wifi / good parking

• Provide landscaped links/walks to feature amenities

• Develop a planting plan

• Review and further develop the district promotional brochure.

Ideas Summary

The public meetings were highly successful with approximately 50 people in attendance over

the afternoon. There were many ideas generated as noted above. The majority relate to the

better use of the Reserve.

Community Concerns

• Lack of younger volunteers to look after a community facility.

• Disrespect for the memorial/historical value of the current Hall.

• If the Hall were to be removed from its current site, what is the most appropriate thing

to do with the land?

• Any commercial development needs to be financially viable, it must generate sufficient

revenue to fund itself and not be a burden to the local rate payer.

FAQs

Q. Will this project have an implication on Rates?

A. A key aspiration of any Hororata community project will be to have minimal (if any) impact

on rates at all.

Q. What other funding sources are there to target?

A. There are several funding options, other than Selwyn District Council:

Grant Funding - organisations such as the Rata Foundation and Lottery Grants can be

approached. Community arts and environmental trusts are also sources of funding.

Community Initiatives -The Hororata Community Trust has been immensely successful at

developing the Highland Games to raise funds for the community. There may be other

opportunities to form initiatives that can generate revenues.

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Commercial Sponsorship – industries who have an interest in the District or certain aspects of a

community project may like to contribute time, materials or funds.

Private Donations – there may be local philanthropists who wishes to support particular

initiatives in the District.

Q. What are the next steps?

A. Use this document to discuss these ideas with your neighbors. We want this to be a

collaborative process that has the best possible outcome for the Hororata Community.

A Public Meeting will be held at the Hall, 7.00pm Monday 26th

June to discuss feedback about

this summary memo and the ideas presented in it. Everyone is welcome, we want to remain

positive and productive in this important community discussion.

If you have further questions or feedback that you would like to talk about before the meeting

please contact a member of the Go Hororata or Emily Craigie from Octa Associates at

emily.craigie@ch.octa.co.nz.

Go Hororata Contacts:

Cindy Driscoll

03 318 2768 Margaret Ellis

03 318 0871

Dave Sligh

03 318 0081 Bob Mugford

03 318 2877

A concept plan will be drafted using the information gather from the community and from

discussions with SDC and Go Hororata.

Q. Where can I get more information?

A. Talk to a member of Go Hororata, contact details above.