Nau mai, haere mai!
Welcome to Your Place Tō wāhi
As the name suggests, this is your place.
Your place to share your voice with us, to mahi with us, and shape your future with us.
We know people are time poor and only want to hear about, and connect with what is happening in their community. And that if we want to get more people sharing their thoughts with us, it’s our responsibility to facilitate a new kind of engagement that is local at it’s heart, is led by community characters, and filled with the kind of community spirit that leads to trusting, open kōrero.
So, we’re flipping the script and allowing the community to set the narrative by working with established and respected community leaders to develop key issues that are facing their community.
Say kia ora to our 12 ‘neighbourhoods’. These are your one-stop shops for all things happening in your community – celebrating the rich diversity and pride of place, tackling the pressing issues and priorities affecting you, and keeping you up to date on mahi already underway.
Our 12 neighbourhoods are:
- Waihī Beach/Athenree
- Katikati/Aongatete
- Te Puna/Minden
- Ōmokoroa
- Matakana Island
- Whakamarama
- Omanawa/Lower Kaimai
- Oropi/Ohauiti/Pyes Pa
- Te Puke
- Paengaroa
- Pongakawa/Pukehina
- Maketu
We’ve done this because we know the needs of our District and communities are diverse – sometimes different, sometimes the same. No matter what, one size does not always fit all.
We’ll still need to tackle some issues that affect us all, but by taking a closer look at what’s happening in your backyard we believe we can create a District that is a true reflection of everyone, now and in the future.
This will be a continuous process. We will continue to work with the community and expect over time for these local priorities to grow and change.
How does this all fit in the bigger picture?
One of the fastest growing areas of Aotearoa New Zealand, it’s predicted that there could be 400,000 people living in our sub-region (Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga City areas combined) over the next 50 plus years.
With that many more people needing homes, moving around our region, and wanting to access community services, it’s essential we work together to think of smart and sustainable ways to manage the impact this has on our transport, housing and climate.
Together with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, Tangata Whenua and central Government (particularly Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency), we’ve developed a refreshed, coordinated and aligned approach called the SmartGrowth Strategy. Our joint commitment is that as our sub-region continues to grow, we’re ready to manage it.
Being proactive now means that we will reduce the impact on how we get around, shape the options for where we can live, how we connect with our community, and ensure we can protect and enhance our natural and cultural landscape.
Keen to understand a bit more about the sub-regional planning mahi underway? Check out the Connected Centres storymap or visit – www.smartgrowthbop.org.nz