A proposal to move Karāpiro School across the Waikato Expressway and into the Karāpiro village will remain in Waipā District Council’s spatial plan despite Ministry of Education opposition.
Karāpiro School students Devon Hughes (front) and (back, from left) Ronja Epp, Levi Hughes, Aria Maccallaugh and Amelia Seath-Boyte huddle for a photo at their community picnic at school last Thursday.
The suggestion, part of the Ahu Ake plan – which broadly means to move forward and progress – is part of a greater destination for Karāpiro.
In its submission to the council, the ministry wanted the school’s move taken out of the visionary plan because it had not budgeted for or anticipated moving it from the corner of Tīrau and Karāpiro roads on SH1 into the thriving Karāpiro village.
Susan O’Regan
Last month, the school board, staff, ministry representatives, mayor Susan O’Regan and Ahu Ake’s Kirsty Downey and Vanessa Honore met to discuss the upcoming work on the Cambridge to Piarere four-laning and move into the village.
“The principal was very clear from the outset,” said O’Regan that the school faced disconnection and dislocation.
The school roll had bounced back this term after falling to 30 in November, principal Alana Thompson told the meeting. Some enrolments came from Putāruru to the south.
She and the board had become concerned about the lack of information from New Zealand Transport Agency over access plans for the school while the four-laning – named as one of the government’s national roads of interest – was under construction.
Lake Karapiro
Initial talks were that a roundabout would be built near the school to enhance safety access but that had subsequently been replaced by an interchange now lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority. The application will be considered by an independent expert panel appointed by the Chief Environment Court judge.
Mike Pettit
While ministry officials supported the school’s relocation into the village, there was no funding available.
Waipā councillor Mike Pettit told the Strategic Planning and Policy committee this week at its Ahu Ake deliberations, the last thing schools and communities wanted was uncertainty.
A school principal himself, Pettit said if the Karāpiro School board of trustees wanted to leave the relocation option in Ahu Ake, “we should leave it in.”
Downey, council’s Strategy group manager, said the board wanted the council to facilitate a meeting of all parties involved in the school’s future.
Kirsty Downey
That would include iwi, transport, education, power company and council officials.
The visionary plans for Karāpiro would see the village become a thriving tourism hub linked to the other side of the Waikato River by a reopened dam road.
Creating a park space, an early childhood centre and a small retail area, would fit the ‘Destination Karāpiro’ concept and ensure good walking and cycling connections.
In her paper to the deliberations, Downey said relocating the school was not only about capacity but about community connections, safety and resilience.
A conservation architect would be involved to make the school compatible with other heritage buildings.
Karāpiro had a population of 340 at last year’s Census but more during the 1940s while the dam was under construction. Several of the buildings used during that time for workers remain and would form part of the Village Hub.
- This story has been clarified to make it clear the Environmetal Protection Authority does not consider the application. It will considered by an independent expert panel appointed by the Chief Environment Court judge.
Waipā senior strategic planner Vanessa Honore talks to Aylah Roberts (8), Leonidas Smith-Serei (10), Taniera Mitchell (9), Dakotah Roberts (10) and Arizona Wiseman (10).
