Completion of projects celebrated

Growth, positivity and collaboration were the themes at an official opening event held on Saturday to celebrate the completion of three Waikato District Council projects in central Pookeno.

About 50 people, including councillors, community committee members, mana whenua and the public followed kaumaatua on a walk-through as the completed work was blessed.

Finished projects include main street redevelopment, public toilet replacement and the Great South Road/Pookeno Road roundabout at the top end of town.

The Lions Club then served up a sausage sizzle for the gathered crowd, as dignitaries spoke about the projects.

Haupai Montgomery of Te Hau Kainga me ngaa Mana Whenua o Pookeno Charitable Trust said that mana whenua had enjoyed good conversations with Council during these projects, while acknowledging that this had not always been the case in the past.

He said that his whanau want to play its part in supporting the local community and that with the help of Council staff, Mayor Jacqui Church and Pookeno Community Committee (PCC), great synergy has been achieved.

PCC chair Allen Grainger encouraged the community to be positive and said that it was nice to see the town centre being “tidied up”.

While Mayor Jacqui paid tribute to all who had been involved in delivering the projects, including Council staff, Waikato District Alliance (roundabout and main street) and Modern Building Solutions (toilets).

She referred to Pookeno as a vibrant, unique village that was the welcoming place to the Waikato district from the north.

“It is outcomes like this that we enjoy. While growth brings growing pains, it is positive for the north of our district, there are more projects to come.

“We ask that you as a community keep talking with us and we ask you to support volunteers like Allen (Grainger) who has the bigger picture through his connection to Council

“And we thank those that uplift us, whether that be mana whenua, volunteers, emergency services, we thank you all.”