May 20, 2025 • 12 mins
The Wellington City Council's long term plan committee will tomorrow vote on what to do with the unfinished events centre in New Zealand's largest suburb.
The Karori community fundraised millions for the events centre after many of Wellington's local halls were closed due to earthquake fears.
The events centre is built – but the trust ran out of money for the fit out. The group then gifted the site to the council, who promised to finish the centre but have since proposed to demolish or sell it amid budget fears.
Karori Community Hall Trust Heather Baldwin joined Nick Mills to discuss the project and the council's response.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said, be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
One of the big community centers that there's been a
controversy around is the Corori Events Center. The community themselves
fund raised millions of dollars for the center. The shell
was built, then they ran out of money for the
complete out, finished fit out. The council then took control,
they were gifted it, took control and said that they
would finish the center. But then suddenly within a year
(00:36):
or a year in a bit, they proposed to sell it.
Joining us now is the chair of the Corori Community
Hall Trust here the boardroom. Good morning, Heather, Good morning.
So this doesn't sound like good faith to me. You guys,
you raised the money, you built it, and it's from
everyone that drives past it says it looks like it's
(00:56):
nearly finished. You gifted it to the council expected them
to finish it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Yes, that's exactly right. We have worked with counsel ever
since the building was first conceived. You know we're talking
about right back in early two thousands, the council agreed
we needed a new community hall because the community halls
we had were well pass the use by date they've
been demolished. They said to the community, if you fundraise,
will help fund So we went ahead and did that.
(01:24):
Let's fast forward to twenty twenty two where we had
the shehall of the building completed. We had two point
two million of community funds in that Council had granted
some funds as well, and we ended gifting the building
to the council because they said it would cost a
further one point nine to finish it, and they committed
(01:45):
to do that and we took them at their word.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, so when did it all turn pair shape? When
did you realize that you've got a problem and start
having to kick up a little bit of a stink.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
I guess it was before November twenty three when suddenly
council had an option at a meeting to investigate selling
the building. We submitted to council at that time and
got that overturned and theoretically since then, so the last
(02:14):
probably up until Christmas this year. So the following year
we were working with council as part of a stakeholder
group to work out what needed to be done to
finish it and what the costs were going to be.
But again beginning of last year, council had fiscal challenges
and they started looking for Nichols and dimes, and we
were an easy.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So someone somehow I got it in my mind that
when you gave it to the council, gifted to the council,
that it wasn't going to be that expensive to finish.
There was like under a million dollars to finish. Am
I right? Or am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
No, that's not right. When we gifted it to them,
council's own figures were that it would be one point
nine million to finish. They had spent probably close to
two or three years closely involved with us, looking at
the costings, what the condition of the building was in,
what had to be done, et cetera. So when we
gifted it to them and they accepted the gift, when
we gifted to them, we believed that they had good
(03:11):
figures for that, so good cost estimates to give them
that figure, and we trusted them that they would operate
in good faith and get the building finished.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So it's a brand new build. Yes, looks great, Yes,
needs money spent on it. It's just the city. The suburbs,
the bigger suburb in New Zealand needs this facility. Why
why is there a problem?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Look, we have had over the last ten years, So
over the last twenty years, we've had ten community halls
demolished or become unavailable because of earthquake issues. In a community,
you need a big space that people can gather, where
people can have weddings and funerals, where you can have parties,
you can have pilates classes, where lines and rotory can
(03:59):
have big events, where you can have fundraisers, performances, all
that sort of thing, and we haven't got that in
our community. Now we are a hub and so we're
not only serving Karori, we serve a wider area than that.
We're very close to town, we're on the main bus route.
It's a really good facility for not only Koori in
nearby suburbs, but the whole of Wellington. How many people
(04:20):
would it hold, So it looks like it'll hold about
two hundred, which is not a huge number, but it's
certainly much bigger than anything else we've got. I was
at the Community Center which is next door yesterday and
had someone come in. They wanted a booking four hours
a day on every second Sunday and We've had to
shoehorn them into a space that is not big enough
(04:40):
because they don't want to have to go to Johnsonville,
which is the next best option.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
We've just had our boss of news KB and she
lives in North and she does a lot of stuff
in Karori. Is that Do you have a wider sort
of area? I mean, Kori is big enough on its own,
so you don't need any No.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Look, we don't, but you know we have neighbors and
I too was talking to someone yesterday who said I
do all my stuff in Karori. You know, I live
in Welton, and so we come to the super, we
come to the pool, we come to know the kids,
come to football, kids come to cricket. We are a
big suburb and it's one of the things that council
is focusing on doing is having community hubs where you
(05:18):
have a good range of facilities that cover everything that
a community might do. And it helps a community. And
I'm not talking about good audi, I'm talking about the
wider community and Wellington on the whole develop a network
and a sense of belonging. And you know, we want
our communities to be connected and for people to feel
safe and involved.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Okay, where are you sitting right now? Tomorrow is obviously
a big day for you. I mean the vibe almost
feels like you're going to get it over the line,
but I don't want to preempt anything. Where is where
is your trust sitting right now?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, look, we were absolutely delighted that sixty two percent
of all of the submissions on the LTP came through
our website, and I'm sorry, correct that it was forty
five percent of all submissions came through our website. In
sixty two percent of all submissions said that they wanted
the events center finished. Now, I understand from the media
(06:13):
that the mayor is going to move an amendment. You know,
we want the center finished. We want it open and
available for the community. Our community has sent a strong
message around that. Our preferred option is that the council
does this because this is their bread and butter. But
we are prepared to work with counsel to find a
way to get it open.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You've had some success with mayor candidate Andrew Little. He's
gone up and had a look and talked to you.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Is that right, Yes, that's correct. He's due to come
and have a look later today. But We've had some
conversations with him around this. He is very strong, I
think on supporting grassroots community, community things, which works well
for us. We don't understand why the current council is
going to spend billions of dollars on civic projects over
(07:04):
the next ten years. I think it's five billion is
not over the next ten years, and yet they're scrabbling
around to find pennies down the back of the couch.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Were you surprised that us, as a local media outlet,
we're not allowed to go anywhere there, not allowed to
come in, not allowed to just go and see what's
to be done.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Look, I suppose it's council protecting themselves. I understand it's
not a building that's up to co compliance, et cetera.
But you know, in the past we have been able
to take people through. There's no lights in the back,
so it's dark and you've got to be careful, and
there's a couple of different floor levels.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But that's that's the matter ringing you now to say
it's going to be sorted out.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
You might not be joking, yees, So it's you've got
to be careful. But you know, I underget that.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
But we still surely you should be able to open
the door, look in and see what the hell that's
going on. I mean, surely you know we're not stupid.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
It's not for me to comment.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Okay, council, how many counsels have you had good buy
and pon councils our counselor coming to have a look
and getting involved and trying to help.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
So eventually counselors agreed to come last week and have
a look. I will have to admit I was disappointed
with the level engagement of those counselors that came, but
I'm hopeful now that the mayor is actually taking a
lead on this, and I know there's a couple of
other councilors that probably will follow her at the very least.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
What do you say to other suburbs around Wellington and
have the similar problem that they feel like the council's
not listening to them, doesn't care about them, And how
important is that? Like that hub That's what I was
trying to talk about this morning, the hub of your suburb.
That's where your kids grow up and you know it's
part of their it's part of their life.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Look, strong communities have positive effects for everybody, you know,
not only for individuals and people, but for businesses, for commerce,
for the city as a whole, for tourism. You know,
if you have a vibrant community where people are active
and doing stuff, it's positive for everyone. And you know,
(09:06):
I think it's very shortsighted not to be supporting local initiatives.
I understand they've got to be well founded. We strongly
believe ours was a well founded project. Council backed us
right from the word go. There were needs, analysis etc.
It wasn't just people, you know, sitting around having a
bright idea. But you know that the positive things for
(09:28):
having the events center finished will be.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Huge if you've just joined us. Heather Bourbon is the
chair of this Corory Events Center. Now, I don't want
to be sort of slightly negative. What happens if everything
goes badly tomorrow and the council decide that they don't
want to go ahead with it.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What happens then, Look, we'll face that when we have to.
We don't really have a Plan B because we've had
all our focus the last you know, five months on
a campaign to get public support behind us, which we've
done well. I suppose our Plan B is that we
hope that we get a new mayor who lead the
(10:09):
support for community groups.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So how quickly if everything is a yes, yes, yes,
how quickly could it be open and operating for Correy.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Look I don't know, to be honest, but I've been
saying for a couple of years now, where there's a
will of the is away, you know, this shouldn't be
a huge job. We've had an architect come and have
a look outside the building and look at the documents
that council gave. They are where the titan. It's experts,
they know about building and construction, and they say it's
well designed, well built, it shouldn't take a lot to finish.
(10:42):
And they also believe it can be done for less
than what the council are thinking. We don't know how
correct that is, but look, it's so close. It's so close,
and even if there's additional work to be done now,
because it's you know, however many years down the track,
it's so close.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Rumors have it that there's going to be a huge
new residential development in the old training college site there
with hundreds of new properties. I mean, Karori is not
going away. As I keep saying, it's a major it's
the biggest suburb of New Zealand. I don't know whether
it still is, but when I grew up, that's why
everyone used to describe.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
It as yeah, look you can. It depends on how
you measure it. But look two thousand and sixteen, two
thousand and sixteen, the council did needs analysis of hall
facilities in Karori. We didn't have enough then and we've
had ten halls disappear since then. So with more residents,
it's going to be even more necessary for people to
have places they can go to to engage, to be
(11:41):
involved in things, to be entertained, to be educated, et cetera.
So it's only going to become greater, not smaller. So yep,
with more people in the suburb, we're going to need
more facilities.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Well, we just wish you well and hopefully tomorrow common
sense prevails indeed and that you get your community event center.
We're not allowed to call it a community center, although
it's a community based event center. That you get it
off the ground, and if there's an opportunity for us
to go and have a look at it some stage,
can you please let us know, because we would love
to go and have a look and see. So tomorrow
(12:16):
is the big day Corory join the Krori Community Hall Trust.
Heather Boardwin. I've got to get that right because I
keep thinking there's a difference between your community and the
event center, isn't there.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yes, there's a community center with small spaces. The event
center was the big is to be the bigger haul space.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you for joining us today on Thanks for having
me and all the very very best. It's those sort
of community hub things are so important to communities and
I'm pleased that Andrew Little has brought attention to it.
Thank you for your time.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from news Talk said, be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
One of the big community centers that there's been a
controversy around is the Corori Events Center. The community themselves
fund raised millions of dollars for the center. The shell
was built, then they ran out of money for the
complete out, finished fit out. The council then took control,
they were gifted it, took control and said that they
would finish the center. But then suddenly within a year
(00:36):
or a year in a bit, they proposed to sell it.
Joining us now is the chair of the Corori Community
Hall Trust here the boardroom. Good morning, Heather, Good morning.
So this doesn't sound like good faith to me. You guys,
you raised the money, you built it, and it's from
everyone that drives past it says it looks like it's
(00:56):
nearly finished. You gifted it to the council expected them
to finish it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Yes, that's exactly right. We have worked with counsel ever
since the building was first conceived. You know we're talking
about right back in early two thousands, the council agreed
we needed a new community hall because the community halls
we had were well pass the use by date they've
been demolished. They said to the community, if you fundraise,
will help fund So we went ahead and did that.
(01:24):
Let's fast forward to twenty twenty two where we had
the shehall of the building completed. We had two point
two million of community funds in that Council had granted
some funds as well, and we ended gifting the building
to the council because they said it would cost a
further one point nine to finish it, and they committed
(01:45):
to do that and we took them at their word.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, so when did it all turn pair shape? When
did you realize that you've got a problem and start
having to kick up a little bit of a stink.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
I guess it was before November twenty three when suddenly
council had an option at a meeting to investigate selling
the building. We submitted to council at that time and
got that overturned and theoretically since then, so the last
(02:14):
probably up until Christmas this year. So the following year
we were working with council as part of a stakeholder
group to work out what needed to be done to
finish it and what the costs were going to be.
But again beginning of last year, council had fiscal challenges
and they started looking for Nichols and dimes, and we
were an easy.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So someone somehow I got it in my mind that
when you gave it to the council, gifted to the council,
that it wasn't going to be that expensive to finish.
There was like under a million dollars to finish. Am
I right? Or am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
No, that's not right. When we gifted it to them,
council's own figures were that it would be one point
nine million to finish. They had spent probably close to
two or three years closely involved with us, looking at
the costings, what the condition of the building was in,
what had to be done, et cetera. So when we
gifted it to them and they accepted the gift, when
we gifted to them, we believed that they had good
(03:11):
figures for that, so good cost estimates to give them
that figure, and we trusted them that they would operate
in good faith and get the building finished.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
So it's a brand new build. Yes, looks great, Yes,
needs money spent on it. It's just the city. The suburbs,
the bigger suburb in New Zealand needs this facility. Why
why is there a problem?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Look, we have had over the last ten years, So
over the last twenty years, we've had ten community halls
demolished or become unavailable because of earthquake issues. In a community,
you need a big space that people can gather, where
people can have weddings and funerals, where you can have parties,
you can have pilates classes, where lines and rotory can
(03:59):
have big events, where you can have fundraisers, performances, all
that sort of thing, and we haven't got that in
our community. Now we are a hub and so we're
not only serving Karori, we serve a wider area than that.
We're very close to town, we're on the main bus route.
It's a really good facility for not only Koori in
nearby suburbs, but the whole of Wellington. How many people
(04:20):
would it hold, So it looks like it'll hold about
two hundred, which is not a huge number, but it's
certainly much bigger than anything else we've got. I was
at the Community Center which is next door yesterday and
had someone come in. They wanted a booking four hours
a day on every second Sunday and We've had to
shoehorn them into a space that is not big enough
(04:40):
because they don't want to have to go to Johnsonville,
which is the next best option.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
We've just had our boss of news KB and she
lives in North and she does a lot of stuff
in Karori. Is that Do you have a wider sort
of area? I mean, Kori is big enough on its own,
so you don't need any No.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Look, we don't, but you know we have neighbors and
I too was talking to someone yesterday who said I
do all my stuff in Karori. You know, I live
in Welton, and so we come to the super, we
come to the pool, we come to know the kids,
come to football, kids come to cricket. We are a
big suburb and it's one of the things that council
is focusing on doing is having community hubs where you
(05:18):
have a good range of facilities that cover everything that
a community might do. And it helps a community. And
I'm not talking about good audi, I'm talking about the
wider community and Wellington on the whole develop a network
and a sense of belonging. And you know, we want
our communities to be connected and for people to feel
safe and involved.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Okay, where are you sitting right now? Tomorrow is obviously
a big day for you. I mean the vibe almost
feels like you're going to get it over the line,
but I don't want to preempt anything. Where is where
is your trust sitting right now?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, look, we were absolutely delighted that sixty two percent
of all of the submissions on the LTP came through
our website, and I'm sorry, correct that it was forty
five percent of all submissions came through our website. In
sixty two percent of all submissions said that they wanted
the events center finished. Now, I understand from the media
(06:13):
that the mayor is going to move an amendment. You know,
we want the center finished. We want it open and
available for the community. Our community has sent a strong
message around that. Our preferred option is that the council
does this because this is their bread and butter. But
we are prepared to work with counsel to find a
way to get it open.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You've had some success with mayor candidate Andrew Little. He's
gone up and had a look and talked to you.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Is that right, Yes, that's correct. He's due to come
and have a look later today. But We've had some
conversations with him around this. He is very strong, I
think on supporting grassroots community, community things, which works well
for us. We don't understand why the current council is
going to spend billions of dollars on civic projects over
(07:04):
the next ten years. I think it's five billion is
not over the next ten years, and yet they're scrabbling
around to find pennies down the back of the couch.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Were you surprised that us, as a local media outlet,
we're not allowed to go anywhere there, not allowed to
come in, not allowed to just go and see what's
to be done.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Look, I suppose it's council protecting themselves. I understand it's
not a building that's up to co compliance, et cetera.
But you know, in the past we have been able
to take people through. There's no lights in the back,
so it's dark and you've got to be careful, and
there's a couple of different floor levels.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But that's that's the matter ringing you now to say
it's going to be sorted out.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
You might not be joking, yees, So it's you've got
to be careful. But you know, I underget that.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
But we still surely you should be able to open
the door, look in and see what the hell that's
going on. I mean, surely you know we're not stupid.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
It's not for me to comment.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Okay, council, how many counsels have you had good buy
and pon councils our counselor coming to have a look
and getting involved and trying to help.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
So eventually counselors agreed to come last week and have
a look. I will have to admit I was disappointed
with the level engagement of those counselors that came, but
I'm hopeful now that the mayor is actually taking a
lead on this, and I know there's a couple of
other councilors that probably will follow her at the very least.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
What do you say to other suburbs around Wellington and
have the similar problem that they feel like the council's
not listening to them, doesn't care about them, And how
important is that? Like that hub That's what I was
trying to talk about this morning, the hub of your suburb.
That's where your kids grow up and you know it's
part of their it's part of their life.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Look, strong communities have positive effects for everybody, you know,
not only for individuals and people, but for businesses, for commerce,
for the city as a whole, for tourism. You know,
if you have a vibrant community where people are active
and doing stuff, it's positive for everyone. And you know,
(09:06):
I think it's very shortsighted not to be supporting local initiatives.
I understand they've got to be well founded. We strongly
believe ours was a well founded project. Council backed us
right from the word go. There were needs, analysis etc.
It wasn't just people, you know, sitting around having a
bright idea. But you know that the positive things for
(09:28):
having the events center finished will be.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Huge if you've just joined us. Heather Bourbon is the
chair of this Corory Events Center. Now, I don't want
to be sort of slightly negative. What happens if everything
goes badly tomorrow and the council decide that they don't
want to go ahead with it.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What happens then, Look, we'll face that when we have to.
We don't really have a Plan B because we've had
all our focus the last you know, five months on
a campaign to get public support behind us, which we've
done well. I suppose our Plan B is that we
hope that we get a new mayor who lead the
(10:09):
support for community groups.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
So how quickly if everything is a yes, yes, yes,
how quickly could it be open and operating for Correy.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Look I don't know, to be honest, but I've been
saying for a couple of years now, where there's a
will of the is away, you know, this shouldn't be
a huge job. We've had an architect come and have
a look outside the building and look at the documents
that council gave. They are where the titan. It's experts,
they know about building and construction, and they say it's
well designed, well built, it shouldn't take a lot to finish.
(10:42):
And they also believe it can be done for less
than what the council are thinking. We don't know how
correct that is, but look, it's so close. It's so close,
and even if there's additional work to be done now,
because it's you know, however many years down the track,
it's so close.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Rumors have it that there's going to be a huge
new residential development in the old training college site there
with hundreds of new properties. I mean, Karori is not
going away. As I keep saying, it's a major it's
the biggest suburb of New Zealand. I don't know whether
it still is, but when I grew up, that's why
everyone used to describe.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
It as yeah, look you can. It depends on how
you measure it. But look two thousand and sixteen, two
thousand and sixteen, the council did needs analysis of hall
facilities in Karori. We didn't have enough then and we've
had ten halls disappear since then. So with more residents,
it's going to be even more necessary for people to
have places they can go to to engage, to be
(11:41):
involved in things, to be entertained, to be educated, et cetera.
So it's only going to become greater, not smaller. So yep,
with more people in the suburb, we're going to need
more facilities.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Well, we just wish you well and hopefully tomorrow common
sense prevails indeed and that you get your community event center.
We're not allowed to call it a community center, although
it's a community based event center. That you get it
off the ground, and if there's an opportunity for us
to go and have a look at it some stage,
can you please let us know, because we would love
to go and have a look and see. So tomorrow
(12:16):
is the big day Corory join the Krori Community Hall Trust.
Heather Boardwin. I've got to get that right because I
keep thinking there's a difference between your community and the
event center, isn't there.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yes, there's a community center with small spaces. The event
center was the big is to be the bigger haul space.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you for joining us today on Thanks for having
me and all the very very best. It's those sort
of community hub things are so important to communities and
I'm pleased that Andrew Little has brought attention to it.
Thank you for your time.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
Come hang with Amy Poehler. Each week on her podcast, she'll welcome celebrities and fun people to her studio. They'll share stories about their careers, mutual friends, shared enthusiasms, and most importantly, what's been making them laugh. This podcast is not about trying to make you better or giving advice. Amy just wants to have a good time.