24 January 2019

Media: Daily Post

Topic: Te Aka Mauri

Enquiry

- How does it feel to be celebrating Te Aka Mauri's first birthday?

- Apart from the below have there been any other highlights during this first year?

- When the Te Aka Mauri Library and the Children's Health Hub was initially being proposed and going through the set up motions, there were some concerns expressed from community members - such as the amount of ratepayer money being spent, the possible reduction in books, access issues for the elderly, disabled and young families, and the availability of parking. How does it feel looking back at this, and then at how Te Aka Mauri has been set up and gone in this first year? Have you proved naysayers wrong and how?

- What are some of your goals and/or plans looking ahead to the next year or two?

Highlights I have so from our chat the other day include:

- Have had great take up with the children's programmes, and the Masterspace is something quite different.

- The range of database workshops which have been available

- Doing quite a bit with te reo Māori, such as on Facebook and conversation classes

- Book Launch of Touched By War

- Multicultural lunches

Response

From Rotorua Library Director Jane Gilbert:

"We are very excited to be celebrating Te Aka Mauri's first birthday. The new space and the collaboration with Lakes District Health Board is working well and has proved popular with our visitors and staff.

Since we have opened Te Aka Mauri the number of people through the doors has remained steady while book issues are up by 5 per cent, which is bucking the national trend. Numbers taking part in our programmes have increased by more than 50 per cent with 14,933 taking part in activities and programmes.

The library space has been completely overhauled, maximising space for various activities and events. We have had great feedback from users about the activities on offer and the space available.

Because of how the building is now configured, there may appear to be fewer books on the shelves but we are still buying the same number each year and, as we have done every year, the older ones have been weeded out and discarded.

We feel the collaboration with the DHB has had a positive impact on our community. From the very beginning we were determined that this wouldn't just be two separate entities occupying the same building.

The collaboration works well. People come in here and we don't know what they've come in for but we just buzz them through into the DHB rooms if they've got an appointment. And then they take part in our children's programmes as well, so the families are actively participating in what is on offer at the library as well as coming for their appointments.

After its official opening we listened to comments and concerns from members of the public and made adjustments to the parking outside the building, which people appreciated.

Now that people have been into the library and have found their way around they are enjoying the spaces. Many have commented on how wonderful it is to see the staff out on the floor helping people and how friendly the staff are.

After the Te Aka Mauri Festival wee our plans include taking the library out into the community and creating a collection of personal histories and memories of Rotorua to add to the local history collection. That will be in addition to our ongoing work to improve all of our collections and access to these, school holiday programmes, author visits and other programmes and activities."

Background:

In 2014 Council was addressing the need to:

• Review library services and develop a strategic plan to meet current and future community needs;
• Make necessary improvements to the library building;
• Contribute to the Rotorua 2030 goal to revitalise the inner city.

At the same time Lakes DHB was approved to establish a child health centre away from the hospital environment but in a central location that would be easily accessible and welcoming for families.

Council and the DHB saw the opportunity to collaborate and create a unique facility that would be focused on community wellbeing.

Mayor Steve Chadwick saw it as an exciting opportunity to provide a synergy of services for tamariki(children), their whanau (families) and the community as a whole by creating a space that promoted wellbeing and catered for everyone in a modern, inviting and vibrant central city hub.

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Media: Rotorua Weekender (Daily Post)

Topic: Te Aka Mauri

Enquiry

I'm looking for some pic stories for the Rotorua Weekender this week and was wondering if it would be possible for me to pop along to the Grass Heads activity on Wednesday morning and have a chat to a couple kids/their families about the activity and what they've been up to these holidays?

If it is possible to get a couple comments from someone at the library around the summer school holiday activities too that would be awesome. I have put a couple questions below:

- How have the summer holiday activities gone in general?

- What sorts of activities have been available for children and families to get involved in?

- Why is the library a great option for families during school holidays?

Response

The following information was provided:

With the school holidays drawing to a close it's nice to look back on the success of our Summer of Fun school holiday programme. Activities for all ages have been enjoyed including the always popular Lego activities. Children from the age of 5 and older have solved a disaster on Lego Island, constructed an impressive Lego Town and created their own Rotorua landmarks including Princes Gate and Mokoia Island.

Over summer we have continued offering our popular He Pī Ka Rere programmes which are fun, developmental sessions specifically designed for toddlers and pre-schoolers. This programme uses songs, stories, musical instruments, movement and craft to support children's early literacy, social, cognitive, motor and musical skills. In previous years parents and caregivers have told us how few holiday programme activities cater to pre-schoolers so we have provided an increased programme of events which have been well received.

With mostly fine weather we have made good use of the opportunity to run some events in Jean Batten Square. Children were challenged to make miniature boats using repurposed materials then testing them in water to see if they would float. Our bubble day activity attracted 150 children all trying to make big and beautiful bubbles. The Grass Heads activity also attracted a large number of attendees who have taken home their own grass head which will grow over coming weeks.

We have already received several Reading Challenge sheets from some of our keenest readers and there is still time for children to provide a record of their reading over summer. This challenge encourages children to track their reading progress by crossing off each 15 minutes of reading on a map of Lake Rotorua. As the challenge is open to young people from 0-18 years we're encouraging grown-ups to join in the fun by reading to their children. All Reading Challenge sheets showing eight hours of reading will go in the draw to win some great prizes. There are also activity sheets for families to collect from the entrance to the library. Design a book cover, draw a super hero, write a book review or take part in The Great Te Aka Mauri Summer Code Cracker and return your entries to the library by Sunday 3 February to go in one of our prize draws.

While our holiday programme activities are lots of fun, many of them also include literacy and learning activities, through sharing stories before Lego or learning how to make pinecone bird feeders. With one week to go of our Summer of Fun, we encourage families to come register for a place on our last remaining programmes which include Lego Rotorua and our popular Mystery STEAM bag morning.

This year Kylie Holmes, Youth and Early Learning Lead has enjoyed supporting three workshops offered by Rotorua Lakes Council and design studio Isthmus. Tamariki were given a set of mystery materials to bring their play space ideas to life and the opportunity to share their ideas with the play space designers and each other.

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Media: Daily Post

Topic: Citizenship

Enquiry

I am writing a story about the number of new citizens to Rotorua in 2018 and am hoping you might be able to put me in touch with someone who was granted citizenship in 2018.

Or am I able to access names of the people who are new citizens to Rotorua?

Also, I would like to get some comment from the Mayor about Rotorua's multicultural society.

Does [Mayor] Steve [Chadwick] think Rotorua has a string multicultural society?

Are Rotorua residents receptive toward other ethnicities (do they welcome them)?

Does Steve believe the community benefits from other ethnicities?

Response

Arrangements were made for the reporter to speak to Mayor Chadwick.

The reporter was referred to the local multicultural society for comment and later confirmed she had spoken to a society spokesperson.

Regarding the question about whether Rotorua residents are welcoming towards other ethnicities', the reporter was informed that question was more appropriate for the multicultural society and/or the community to answer rather than council.