Community Centres Action & Investment Plan

Over the next 15 years, we’re improving and expanding Tauranga’s community centre network with much-needed facility upgrades and new community centres in some areas.

About the Community Centres

While the city is rapidly changing, community centre provision has not kept pace with change. Tauranga has a dated set of community halls, such as Greerton Hall, that provide bookable space for community groups, and one or two more modern community centres, such as the Arataki Community Centre that provide a mix of multi-use spaces, onsite management, and arrangement of activities.

We have developed a Community Centres Action and Investment Plan that sets out a vision, guiding principles and strategic outcomes for the community centre network. It also provides a roadmap of investment (yet to be adopted by Council) in both people and facilities with the aim of delivering a set of outcomes to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.

What is proposed to change over the course of the next few years?

We’ll be investing in things like:

• partnering with Bay Venues and existing community centres to provide training and advisory services that support staff, management and governance with the skills and resources needed
• co-developing a Marae Support Plan to recognise the important role that Marae play in supporting the community
• feasibility assessments for special purpose centres including youth, cultural, ageing and arts, a business case for a Food Security Hubs, as well as new community centres in growth areas
• exploring possible partnerships with non-Council facility providers to increase community access to bookable spaces.

In terms of facilities, you can expect to see:

• a new local community centre in Gate Pā/Pukehinahina and re-development of the Merivale Community Centre
• exploration into how expansion of Arataki Community Centre could better provide for youth and sporting organisations based there
• new multi-use community space within the Civic Precinct development; and
• removal of the Cliff Road building as this new community space is established in the city centre
• new community centres expected to be developed in the Brookfield, Tauriko West and Wairākei areas within the next 10 years
• possible redevelopment or replacement of the Welcome Bay Community Centre and hall
• new community centre provision for areas like Te Tumu, Bethlehem and Greerton, scheduled for the longer term. 

Change will take time, and we can’t do everything at once. The community will have ongoing opportunities to participate in the implementation of the Plan.

Why are these changes needed?

Tauranga is a dynamic and growing city with an increasingly diverse population. Our residents have a wide range of needs and interests, and a desire for social connection.

While the city is rapidly changing, community centre provision has not kept pace with change. Tauranga has a dated set of community halls, such as Greerton Hall, that provide bookable space for community groups, and one or two more modern community centres, such as the Arataki Community Centre that provide a mix of multi-use spaces, onsite management, and arrangement of activities.

Research such as Vital Update: Tauranga (2020) and the community surveys undertaken throughout this project reflect dissatisfaction with the quality and accessibility of our existing centres and halls. Despite the inadequacy of the facilities on offer, demand for these spaces has outstripped population growth over the last decade, demonstrating people’s continued desire to play, learn, connect, and receive social support.

What you told us - engagement summary 2022 (2mb pdf)

City wide community centres maps

Take a look at the current community centre network and the changes you can expect to see across the city over the coming years.

Current community centre network 2022 (71kb pdf)

Proposed community centre network in 2032 (76kb pdf)

Proposed community centre network in 2033 and beyond (79kb pdf)