Community boards splash the cash to Far North groups

More than $30,000 will be distributed to Far North groups following meetings held this month by the district’s three community boards.

Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board granted $7000 to a local community group to fit out the Ōkaihau Whānau House for a play centre and to make the building available to the community to hire for other activities.

The group, made up of local mums and other community members in Ōkaihau, have secured a lease with the Far North District Council for the building and has held two working bees to clean up the grounds and paint the building on Michie Street.

The goal is to open the play centre on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8.30am-12.30pm for children aged six and under during the school term. A local artist is also keen to run classes for children aged between five and 15 years.

The community board funding will help bring the building up to the standards required by the Ministry of Education to operate a play centre.

Also at the meeting:

• Kaikohe Community Patrol was granted $4000 towards running its vehicle. The funding will be paid in two instalments for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, plus a one-off $700 grant for publicity and administration costs. The community patrol acts as extra eyes and ears for the police, covering the Kaikohe, Ōkaihau, Ōhaeawai and Ngāwhā areas.
• Hokianga Bowling Club was granted $3000 for the costs of building a retaining wall and carrying out drainage repair to improve the bowling green surface.

At the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board meeting, $3200 was granted for an eight-week adult Kapa Haka class run by Ngāti Rēhia in Kerikeri. The group will stage a community performance at the Turner Centre at the end of the course.

Also at the meeting:

• The Bay of Islands Walkways Trust was granted $850 towards the costs of printing a Kerikeri Waterfall Walkways brochure.
• Longline Productions received $10,000 towards the costs of filming the short film Molly Malone in Whangaroa.

At the Te Hiku Community Board meeting, $2967 was granted to Ahipara Aroha to install a digital sign to share community messages including safety and civil defence advice. It follows the recent installation of CCTV in the area, supported by the community board.

Caption: Community board funding will help establish a play centre in Ōkaihau.