A Raureka community bred and led project is taking the next step tomorrow with residents able to see what their proposed community hub will look like for the first time.
The proposal was initiated in 2012, following a suicide and spate of attempted suicides, as a way to bring the community together in one central facility.
A coordinator of the Raureka Community Project Sharnita Raheke said they had answered
what their whanau and friends wanted to see in the community by developing this hub.
"We have a lot of dreams and aspirations as a community and I just want to encourage everyone to get involved and take ownership of this plan," Ms Raheke said.
The concept drawings for the hub, which is planned to be built at Raureka School, will be shown to the public tomorrow and on Thursday in two community meetings.
People will also be able to name and design a logo for their hub through a competition to be launched at the first community meeting.
The proposed facility includes a wellness room for health professionals, a multi-use education room where a raft of education and community courses and programmes can be run, a parent room, a space for computers for community members, offices for lease, a hot desk office and a commercial community kitchen. It will also provide a bigger hall for the school and community to use.
The other project coordinator Mandy Sharpe said to get to this stage of presenting the architectural designs to the community was a significant milestone.
"We are so excited we can present this to the community and the architect will take feedback from the meetings and will then incorporate these if necessary."
Ms Raheke said it would be good for residents to come along so they could update them with their community plan and identify what their priorities were.
"We really want to encourage whanau to get on board and help make those things happen, as everyone has something to offer."
Mrs Sharpe and Ms Raheke are funded through the Department of Internal Affairs Community Development Scheme and the project is supported by Te Puni Kōkiri, Hastings District Council, Raureka School and Raureka Community Trust.
Once the coordinators have got the estimated cost to build the hub from the quantity surveyors they will put forward a business case to the Ministry of Education.
The community hub will be completely self funded and Mrs Sharpe and Ms Raheke are hoping a fundraising drive will start in a couple of months time.
"Everyone has been so supportive and we are such a close community with families living here for generations so we can't wait to get this project off the ground," Ms Raheke said.
The meetings will take place at Raureka School Hall at 2pm tomorrow and at 6pm on Thursday.