Mahinga kai project progressing in Kaiapoi

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

A mahinga kai project in Kaiapoi has been labelled as an "outstanding" community initiative. Mahinga kai is traditional Māori food gathering as well as activities that surround that.

Waimakariri deputy mayor Neville Atkinson says the Huria Reserve heritage and mahinga kai area, to the south of Kaiapoi River, was an important part of the town’s regeneration after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.

"This is an outstanding project and it has come out at the right cost all the way through," he said.

"It is a very important part of Kaiapoi’s regeneration and it needs to be completed."

The project is a collaboration between the Waimakariri District Council and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and came out of the Kaiapoi residential red zone regeneration plan developed after the earthquakes.

The council has completed physical implementation works over the last two years and has now entered into a formal agreement with Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust, which will manage the $1.8 million project.

The trust is a partnership between the council, the Rūnanga and the wider community to manage the district's coastal park.

Funding of $390,000 will now be transferred to the trust, from the 2023-24 annual plan.

It was approved at last week’s council meeting, despite a proposal from councillor Paul Williams to defer it due to the economic situation.

He said the trust should be looking for outside funding, like the Honda Forest, which has been developed to the north of Kaiapoi River.

Community and recreation general manager Chris Brown said the council had consulted extensively with the community as part of the regeneration plan and the Long Term Plan process.

"We said to the community we would deliver this project and we intend to deliver it."

Councillor Al Blackie, who is also a Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust trustee, said the trust intended to seek commercial support and planned to engage with schools and community organisations.

Mayor Dan Gordon said he was pleased to see the project come to fruition.

"The trust will continue to develop this space, which will celebrate traditional Māori customs and promote learning and recreation activity."

Gordon said the council had completed several regeneration projects over the last six years, including sports fields, a BMX track, a dog park, and had redeveloped the marine precinct and the river banks.

A community hub, bringing together organisations such as Satisfy Food Rescue and the Kaiapoi Menz Shed, was also being developed across the road from Huria Reserve.

■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.