Help design Waihī Beach’s new library facility

What would you want to see in a new Waihī Beach library, service centre and community hub facility?

An events space? Shared office and business hub? Day care centre?

That’s the question Western Bay of Plenty District Council is asking Waihī Beach and surrounding communities ahead of a new facility coming in 2024. Council wants the new library facility to be a focal point for Waihī Beach, and the community’s thoughts and ideas are needed to ensure the facility reflects their aspirations.

Council’s Customer Service and Governance Manager Barbara Whitton believes the new library facility can be a place for residents and visitors to gather, take part in education and share knowledge, experience, and opinions.

“We need a new library facility as the current site is too small to accommodate the needs of the community, with room for just one public computer. Having a place to connect and collaborate is important to community and the current space is very limited and somewhat disconnected from the main village.

“We want to create a place that people love to visit. If we get the design right, this facility can help connect the community with each other and the wider world and create a place for inspiration and innovation.”

Council is seeking your thoughts and ideas on two aspects of the project– the shortlisted locations for the new facility, and what features it should include.

Seven possible sites from around the Waihī Beach village have been narrowed down to our top four preferred library locations. They are

• Community Centre Rear Reserve
• Wilson Park
• Wilson Road Carpark
• Wilson Road Broadlands Block