Te Hono: Additional funding secured to enable development

03 October 2023

Avondale
News

Eke Panuku will oversee the construction of the upgraded town square and outdoor areas adjacent to Te Hono, with their own confirmed funding.

Avondale is undergoing substantial growth and a new and improved library and community hub (named Te Hono) is key to meeting the needs of the community and the growing population.

Recently, Te Hono faced a funding challenge due to rising construction costs.

However, Auckland Council's Governing Body voted on 28 September 2023 to reallocate $15 million from the planned Whau Aquatic and Recreation Centre development budget to ensure Te Hono's future.

Eke Panuku will oversee the construction of the upgraded town square and outdoor areas adjacent to Te Hono, with their own confirmed funding, adding to the positive outlook for the area.

Preliminary design of Te Hono

Preliminary design of Te Hono

Funding secured

The Whau Local Board and Whau ward councillor Kerrin Leoni joined forces to advocate for additional funds, ensuring Te Hono's progress despite the construction cost hurdles. The local board agreed at its business meeting to support the reallocation of funding and the Governing Body decision was welcomed by councillor Kerrin Leoni and Whau Local Board chair Kay Thomas.

Kerrin expressed gratitude for the funding approval and praised the local board's hard work. Te Hono's significance in Avondale, she says, especially in bringing the community together, cannot be overstated.

“The Whau ward is experiencing rapid intensification and is facing a large growth in population. Te Hono will be an important amenity for Avondale and will help bring our diverse community together. I’m glad we managed to make it possible.”
Whau ward councillor
Kerrin Leoni

Whau Local Board Chair Kay Thomas shared her excitement about securing the project's future funding saying “I’m pleased to see the future funding for Te Hono secured and this is such great news for our community. 

“I’d love to thank all those who helped make the development of Te Hono possible. Avondale is an area of significant deprivation and has a history of underinvestment. The continued investment in Te Hono will help regenerate the entire local area."
Whau Local Board Chair
Kay Thomas

Preliminary design

The preliminary design, recently adopted by the Whau Local Board, streamlines construction and minimizes costs while maintaining the community facility’s key features. Notable changes include a shift to a steel and concrete structure, improved solar efficiency, and a larger town square. With the preliminary design approved, the project will move forward, with resource consent lodgement expected by December 2023, followed by detailed design and construction phases.

“Our board was delighted to adopt the preliminary design of Te Hono. I’d like to thank council staff and Eke Panuku for their excellent work in optimising the design given the funding issues,” adds Kay.

About Te Hono

Whau Local Board approved the concept designs in 2021 and last year named the new library and community centre for Avondale as Te Hono.

The name ‘Te Hono’, which means ‘the connection’, recognises that the new facility connects place, people and purpose. It was gifted by mana whenua representatives from Te Kawerau ā Maki, and supported by Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

As an integrated community facility located in the heart of the town centre, Te Hono is an important part of the Eke Panuku Unlock Avondale urban regeneration programme. The programme seeks to enhance the town centre’s vitality as a place to do business and visit through more and better-quality housing, improved public spaces and upgraded transport connections.

Auckland Council and Eke Panuku are delivering Te Hono in partnership.

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