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Camaraderie and catching up were the order of the day at Snells Beach last month, when the Mahurangi East Community Centre & Library officially reopened after more than a year of refurbishment.
Starting with speeches and a soup contest and finishing with a family disco and dance party, the day was packed with activities and entertainment for all ages, organised by the Kawau Bay Action Group.
The opening ceremony and Matariki Festival got underway with speeches from those involved in the $4 million-plus renovation project, which required closing the facility and displacing at least 60 clubs, as well as moving the library into a cabin.
Auckland Council head of community delivery (and founder of Ascension Wine Estate) Darryl Soljan opened proceedings by stressing the importance of such facilities as social hubs.
“Libraries have never just been about books,” he said. “They’re one of the last spaces where the whole of society can meet on an equal footing without barriers to access. They’re staging something of a revival that isn’t just about books, electronic or actual, but about creating a community living room, and this fantastically refurbished space is a prime example.”
Other speakers included Rodney Local Board members Tim Holdgate and Ivan Wagstaff, long-time local resident and historian Dave Parker, former library manager Anne Dickson, present library manager Pip
Stocking and community adviser Lisa Hampe.
While their various recollections may have differed, they all emphasised the importance of the library and community centre as somewhere for people to come and to feel as if they belonged, regardless of age or background.
Meanwhile, along the hall’s side wall, around 20 slow cookers full of home-made soup were brought in for judging in the Matariki ‘Soup-o-Rama’ Battle of the Broths. There was something to suit every taste, from classics like kumara and pumpkin to more exotic examples, such as Spanish garlic, Greek lemon chicken and African peanut soups.
However, the winner of the coveted Ladle Trophy was something even more unexpected – a six-year-old boy called Ollie beat all-comers with a Chocolate Dessert soup.
Outside in the carpark, there was Hungerball, a range of games and activities from council’s Play Trailer, and toasted marshmallows from Kawau Bay Fishing Club, while inside hot chips, home-made treats and a range of drinks were on offer in the Betty Paxton Room.
There was also plenty of music, with Lou Perkins on guitar and vocals, a line dancing demo and lesson from the Razzle Dazzlers, and a cool sound and light show put on by Brett Crockett and DJ Willie Cottle.
Perkins, who was also one of the event organisers, said afterwards around 500 people had come through the new-look community centre on the day.
“It was great to see a large group of volunteers offer their talents and time to provide a low-cost afternoon of entertainment for our community,” she said.
She added special thanks were due to Lisa Hampe, Kawau Bay Action Group volunteers, Kawau Bay Fishing Club, and the Snells Beach and Algies Bay ratepayers’ and residents’ associations.
