Northcote’s new community hub and upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve

01 January 2025 - TBC

Northcote
In Progress

A new multi-purpose community hub building will enrich Northcote’s new town centre and provide a new community space for locals to use and enjoy.

It’s all part of the vision for Northcote’s town centre, to create ‘a lively and welcoming heart, where community, culture and business thrives, and everyone’s needs are met.

Background

The development of a multi-purpose community hub is identified as one of the ten criteria for success in the town centre masterplan, endorsed by Kaipātiki Local Board in March 2019. See here for more information: plans for guiding Northcote's regeneration.

Local community services are currently provided across three separate buildings, the:

Northcote Library
Norman King Building
Northcote Citizens Centre Hall.

We are leading this project on behalf of Auckland Council and their strategic approach is to locate new or refurbished libraries with other community or council facilities, whenever possible. This trend is also happening overseas where libraries are positioned as centres for their communities, combining library services with other community services.

In late 2020, Eke Panuku and Auckland Council’s Customer & Community Services undertook a community needs assessment to identify what the community would like included in a new integrated community hub building, in addition to library services.

Feedback was received from 41 stakeholder, over 700 individuals, and 90 Northcote Intermediate School students. There were also informal discussions with people at local events.

We used this community feedback, alongside the 2019 Northcote Town Centre Benchmark Masterplan, to identify suitable locations for the facility.

In October 2021, the Kaipātiki Local Board confirmed the new community hub’s location – where Northcote Library is now.

The existing heritage-listed library building, built in 1982 and designed by architect David Mitchell, will be retained, refurbished, and extended, with a new wing to create space for community providers to be together with the library - Hearts and Minds, NORTHART, Citizens Advice Bureau, and Plunket.

At the same time, the adjacent Puāwai Cadness Reserve, which forms part of Te Ara Awataha – Northcote’s new greenway - will be upgraded.

Together, the new hub and upgraded reserve, will form a new central focal point for Northcote - connecting locals with community facilities, the revitalised town centre, Te Ara Awataha, and nature and play.

To develop the design, we used the community needs assessment, and input from key stakeholders over two years, including:

Library staff
Auckland Council
Mana whenua
Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters
Kaipātiki Community Facilities Trust
Kaipātiki Local Board
Community providers - Hearts and Minds, NORTHART, Citizens Advice Bureau, and Plunket.

In October 2023, the design brief and spatial requirements were approved by Kaipātiki Local Board.

In May 2024, Kaipātiki Local Board approved the concept design for an impressive new multi-purpose community hub and upgrade of the adjacent Puāwai Cadness Reserve.

Concept design

The concept design will deliver a much improved, flexible, fit-for-purpose, community space for the growing Northcote community and an upgraded Puāwai Cadness Reserve.

Additional detail can be reviewed here: Concept design - Architectural drawings and Concept design– Landscape architect drawings.

Key features of the community hub include:

Dedicated areas for the library and community providers (Hearts and Minds, NORTHART, Citizens Advice Bureau, and Plunket), as well as multiple flexible shared spaces. The shared spaces can be closed off or left open to enable different community activities to take place.
A larger plaza and forecourt. This will provide a visually strong and clear entrance to the building, as well as a space for all weather events or gatherings. It will also help create a stronger connection between the town centre, across Ernie Mays Street, and Te Ara Awataha.
Effective stormwater management. This is integral to the design, to minimise flooding.
A covered verandah for improved integration with Puāwai Cadness Reserve.
The building will aim to achieve a 6-star Green Star rating, to meet Auckland Council and Eke Panuku’s environmental aims.

The upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve will transform this under-utilised space to create a place for families, children, youths, and groups to gather, with the flexibility to accommodate lots of different types of activities, events, and gatherings.

Key features of the upgrade to Puāwai Cadness Reserve include:

A relocated basketball court.
A large lawn area, with a shelter from the weather.
Two play spaces to cater for younger and older children.
Two garden areas.
Public toilets.
Planting and swales that support natural overland flow paths and significantly more trees to provide shade, support the natural environment and help to reduce climate change.
A waste station.

The concept design and renders are below.

Attachment A Preliminary Design Of Community Hub And Puāwai Cadness Reserve[100]

Concept design

Draft detailed design

We’re working with the community providers (the library, Hearts and Minds, Northart, Citizens Advice Bureau and Plunket), local school children and others, to create the detailed design for the new community hub and the reserve upgrade.

Below are draft detailed designs that we shared at a community drop-in session at the library on 31 August 2024. These draft designs show the proposed play equipment and plants for the reserve and the interior design and layout of the hub.

These designs are still to be finalised. If you have any comments or questions on the design of the community hub and upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve, please email: UnlockNorthcote@ekepanuku.co.nz.

The Draft Detailed Design renders are below

FAQs

Is the size of Northcote library being reduced?

No, the existing library space is being retained. It will be refurbished, and a new wing will be added to create space for Hearts and Minds, NORTHART, the Citizens Advice Bureau, and Plunket, so they can be in the same building with the library. There will also be some flexible shared spaces, that be closed off or left open, for community activities to take place.

What will happen to Northcote Library services while the new community hub is being built?

We are aiming for continuity of library and community services. From early/mid-2025, the library services will temporarily shift to a smaller space in the hall along the road, at 1 Ernie Mays Street in Northcote. Hearts and Minds, Northart, Citizens Advice Bureau and Plunket will share this space with the library.

In mid-late 2025, construction will start on the upgrade and expansion of the current library building to become the new community hub. Puāwai Cadness Reserve, next door to the library, will be upgraded at the same time.

Construction is expected to take 3 years. Once completed, the library, Hearts and Minds, Northart, Citizens Advice Bureau and Plunket will move into their new home in the community hub.

More details about the move to the hall and the impact on library and community services will be provided closer to the time.

Will any trees be cut down when Puāwai Cadness Reserve is upgraded?

Around 21 existing trees need to be removed to enable the upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve. Where possible, these will relocated and transplanted. 92 new trees will be planted, together with other new plants, and swales (channels or ditches) to help minimise flooding.

Significantly more trees will provide more shade, support the natural environment, and help reduce the impact of climate change.

The intention is to transform the under-utilised reserve to create a more attractive green space and play areas for families, children, youths, and groups to gather, and for different types of community activities to take place.

Will the new community hub be a sustainable building?

Yes. We are aiming for a 6 Green Star rating for the community hub building – a world-class level of sustainability. This supports Auckland Council’s commitment to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.

How is the new community hub and the upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve being funded?

As Auckland Council’s urban regeneration agency, we are leading and funding this project. The budget is $19.1 million.

When will we see the final design?

We are currently working on the detailed design. The final design will be available soon.

If you have any comments on the design of the community hub and upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve, email: UnlockNorthcote@ekepanuku.co.nz.

Wider Northcote programme

This project is part of the wider revitalisation of Northcote, to enrich the town centre and help the neighbourhood to thrive.

Another key project is the redevelopment of the town centre – Northcote Central. This will include new shops, offices, apartments, laneways, and a new town square, which is expected to start from 2027.

The new community hub, reserve upgrade, and Northcote Central, will bring more people to visit, live, and work in Northcote. It’s good for the community and local businesses and will encourage private sector investment, to create a more flourishing, vibrant neighbourhood.

Next steps and timing

Here’s our next steps:

We’re working with the library, Hearts and Minds, Northart, Citizens Advice Bureau and Plunket, as well as local school children and others, to finalise the detailed design.
Early-mid-2025 - Library services and the other community providers will temporarily move to the hall at 1 Ernie Mays Street, to create a temporary community hub. Libraries services will continue from the temporary site and there’ll be specially selected library books for browsing. You’ll be able to order all library books online for pick up at Northcote Library and staff will be there to assist you, if you need help.
Mid-late 2025 - Construction of the new community hub and upgrade of Puāwai Cadness Reserve is expected to start. Construction is expected to take 3 years.
We are aiming for continuity of library and community services.

More details about the transition to the temporary space at 1 Ernie Mays Street and the impact on library and community services will be provided closer to the time.