The signatories of this petition respectfully ask that Wellington City Council retain in the Long Term Plan 2024-34, the Council’s existing commitment of $1.9m to FUND, FINISH and OPEN the Karori Event Centre.

Background Information

Wellington City Council (WCC) is considering pulling the funding it previously committed to complete the Karori Event Centre. We need your support to make sure this doesn’t happen.

We need WCC to FUND, FINISH and OPEN the Karori Event Centre (KEC)

The Karori Event Centre was constructed by the Karori Community Hall Trust with around $2m of community grants and donations, and voluntary efforts. It was gifted to WCC in December 2022 after they committed $1.9m to finish it.

We know WCC has financial challenges and are now considering budget cuts as part of their Long Term Plan for 2024-34. We think the funding previously committed for the KEC might be pulled from their budget as part of that process.

If we don’t let WCC know that the community urgently need this facility funded, finished and open, they will most likely remove the funding from their budget. They need to know that community projects are just as important as civic projects! 

Please sign this petition to show your support.

The following are some of the reasons why WCC should retain the committed funding for the completion of the Karori Event Centre in their budget:

1. Completion of the KEC helps WCC achieve their objectives. It will be a multi-purpose facility allowing for an array of community and cultural events and activities to occur. Facilities like the KEC ensure we have a city that provides fit-for-purpose community, creative and cultural spaces that contribute to thriving suburban centres. It will also strengthen resilience as a hub for response and recovery in a future civil emergency.
2. The facility is urgently needed. The Council has repeatedly recognised the need for this facility. Reports WCC commissioned in 2006 and 2016 both confirmed there is a strong need for a new community hall. That need has only increased as the population has grown. At least seven other hall spaces have also been lost to the community over this period.
3. The History is important. The St John's site at the corner of Karori Road and Campbell Street is where previously three community halls were located. In 1999, the Methodist Church partially gifted this site to the Council for community use. In recognition of this gift and its intent, Council originally agreed to provide the proceeds from the sale of this site for the new KEC. WCC still holds this corner site as an asset, and the eventual sale of this land will offset the funding of the KEC.
4. WCC needs to deliver on its promise. The KEC was gifted to Council in December 2022 after funding of $1.9m was allocated to complete the project. The Deed of Gift, signed by WCC, included a further commitment that they would make ‘best endeavours’ to complete the KEC. That commitment has not yet been fulfilled.
5. The community raised funds to build KEC based on promises from WCC. KEC was constructed by the Karori Community Hall Trust with close to $2m from community grants and donations, and voluntary efforts much of which was with the understanding that Council would provide funding for the project from the sale of the St John’s site.

Councillors must prioritise the funding for the completion of the Karori Event Centre and include this project the Long Term Plan. 

If you would like to make a donation towards the Karori Event Centre, please do so through our website https://www.karorieventcentre.co.nz/

donations made via this site, promote the campaign to others with similar interests.