Waihinga Centre

____________________________________________
A White Square on a White Field
One of Mondrian’s most famous paintings, “A White Square on a White Field“, is almost replicated on the backstage wall of our present Town Hall. But the canvas is changing day by day.
Foundations for both sides of the Town Hall stage have been completed and the White Square will disappear under a concrete overlay, which will be sprayed over the brickwork, on the outside of the stage from ground to roof.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the building site, foundations for the new Waihinga Centre are complete, even though the recent floods delayed the concrete pour, and workers had to be sent home before the bridge closed.
Last month South Wairarapa District Elected Members made an on-site inspection to check on progress. Mike Arnopp, Project Director for Rigg Zschokke, explained to Councillors, that work is now starting on the remainder of the external wall foundations to the Waihinga Centre. And that, while this is taking shape, steel columns and laminated beams are being fabricated off site. These will be transported and erected over the next 2 months.
Viv Napier said that “The Councillors were very excited by progress and are looking forward to the next stage when the steel columns are erected”. It is estimated that if all goes according to plan the project may be completed by next April or May.

____________________________________________
Let’s play!
Climbing, sliding, swinging, jumping, splashing, running, crawling and yes, maybe even falling. You name it, our kids will be able to do this and more next year at the new Waihinga Centre Playground where old favourites will be joined by innovative new designs.
We have worked with Playground Centre, who are experts in the field, to find the best and most exciting equipment. The star of the show will be a big climbing tower with a giant slide for returning safely to earth.
The other new equipment will be selected from across five different sorts of activities.
Water Play
Swings
Carousels and Spinners
Seesaws
Tunnels, Trampolines or Outdoor Musical Equipment or Interactive Equipment.
To help us develop a shortlist we’ll be asking local children to tell us their preferences. This will be done via our four schools: Martinborough, Kahutara, Tuturamuri and Pirinoa and the kindy. A representative group from each will be shown pictures of the options and asked to identify their favourites. This will be one of the factors we use in making the final choices.
Another factor in the selection process will be making sure the playground is accessible to the widest possible range of abilities. We know physical challenges help children grow up to be confident and independent and our playground is one of the ways that we can help them do this. But that’s only how we adults see it. For the kids, it’s going to be all about having fun and that’s just the way it should be.

____________________________________________

Supporter Profile: PaperHands, Ben and Helen Masters
PaperHands makes wallpaper but not just any sort of wallpaper. In his workshop in the former library on Jellicoe Street Ben Masters designs and screenprints limited edition handmade papers. It all began in 2009 when he and his wife Helen (the Winemaker at Ata Rangi) couldn’t find designs they liked for their own home. Using Ben’s fine arts and interior design skills they began creating and then marketing their own wallpapers.
In 2015 they began a collaboration with Resene to bring back the iconic designs of William Mason, a leader in the field from the 1960s.
Ben and Helen see supporting the Waihinga Centre as a way to contribute to the community. “We feel an onus to make this commitment to future generations, just as earlier generations have done for us. It’s going to be exciting for the town and it will be great to have a new purpose-built library.”
Ben’s has generously offered to donate some of his wallpaper to the new centre so hopefully all of us will be able to enjoy his work.

____________________________________________
Find out more and get involved.
Visit our website: waihingacentre.nz for more information or contact Max Stevens on 3069095, e-mail info@waihingacentre.nz to volunteer, donate services or materials or make a financial contribution. We would love to hear from you.