Exciting upgrade for Newtown community hub

Work began back in 2017 with a series of consultations with the Newtown community. Wellington City Council asked Newtown residents for their input on the design and what they thought would be best for this space.

Construction for this $3.4 million upgrade is expected to be completed in August 2022.

The upgrades for this bright new space include:

• A new internal layout
• A new larger kitchen
• Brand new bathrooms
• Renovated dance studio
• Brand new accessible lift
• Complete renovation of the theatre

Although there will be new upgrades, the character of the building remains the same. The old bell tower will still be opened in the foyer, a core feature of the current building.

Opening in 1977, this Council-owned building, but run by the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre Trust, has provided a busy and vibrant space for the Newtown community.

Newtown Community & Cultural Centre Kaiwhakahaere / Coordinators Ellie Clayton and Eryn Gribble say this upgrade will provide a much-needed space for the community.

“The new centre will be an awesome, accessible space for Newtowners to connect, experience culture and host their own community activities. The community theatre is going to be particularly exciting, as it will work as a multi-use space for theatre, movies, public talks and much more.”

Many of their usual classes and activities will still be going on while construction is happening, with the Centre still open across the road in Newtown.

“We have community space for hire at 2a Green Street which is suitable for meetings or small gatherings, plus Newtown Hall on Daniell Street," Ellie and Eryn say.

"We’re looking forward to getting into the renovated community centre, but until then, feel free to come visit our new space, grab a cuppa and say kia ora!”

Wellington City Council Community Services Manager, Jenny Rains, says community centres are vital to a neighbourhood’s space.

“Providing a place where everyone can gather, perform or learn is an integral part to any community. This space is designed for the people of Newtown, and we hope once constructed, it will be used by everyone in the community.”

Hours of work will generally be Monday to Friday between 7am and 5pm, but construction noise is not permitted until after 7.30am. There may be work done on the occasional Saturday morning as well.

A traffic management plan will be in place when necessary to ensure pedestrian safety, disruption to traffic is kept to a minimum, and construction access.

You can find all the latest news on this project at the Newtown Community & Cultural Centre website.