Te Hono Avondale's new library, community hub and upgraded town square

Te Hono, Avondale’s new library, community hub, and upgraded town square, is a joint project between Auckland Council and Eke Panuku in partnership with mana whenua. While Auckland Council is focused on constructing the building (library and community hub), Eke Panuku will enhance the town square and surrounding outdoor areas. Together, we're committed to creating an inclusive hub that serves as a focal point for both locals and visitors.

Strong, future-focused communities need high quality local services to support growth, attract investment and support the local economy, and Te Hono will play an important role in ensuring this happens in Avondale.

Te Hono is set to become the vibrant heart of Avondale, uniquely reflecting the area's identity through a thoughtfully integrated, multi-purpose community hub and upgraded town square. The design emphasizes community activation, supporting a wide range of responsive programmes, services, and activities. Celebrating the significance of mana whenua and Avondale’s rich cultural landscapes, Te Hono will be a place for learning, creativity, and meaningful social interaction, while also complementing and energising the Avondale town centre.

As Te Hono moved from concept to preliminary design, the team worked with key stakeholders and experts to refine ideas and ensure it delivers on community aspirations. During this stage, changes were needed to address potential issues with the construction and a funding gap caused by construction cost increases, as experienced across the country. The preliminary design was adopted by the Whau Local Board in September 2023.

This updated design reflects the project vision and outlines the hub’s key features and functions, while remaining aligned to the project’s original design brief of providing:

• Pātaka Kōrero / Library space, including Wai Tuhura (tamariki/children space)
• Te Whakatōpū / Community hall
• Te Pou / Street-level Community room
• Huimanga / Reserve-level community room
• Te Rauora / Community kitchen
• Messy creative space
• Parenting room
• Toilets and showers
• Spaces for the Citizen Advice Bureau and Plunket
• Staff work spaces and storage spaces
• Kitchenettes

* Bookable meeting rooms include the community hall, community room, street and reserve level spaces, and small meeting room spaces.

To find out more, click here.

Te Hono, meaning "the connection," perfectly encapsulates its role in the community—offering ways to connect place, people, and purpose. The name was gifted by mana whenua representatives from Te Kawerau ā Maki and is supported by Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Te Ata, and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

With additional funding confirmed in September 2023 and initial resource and building consents already submitted, we are moving closer to the start of construction.

In mid-August, we began removing the playground at Avondale Central Reserve to make way for Te Hono. In collaboration with Whau Local Board, Eke Panuku is creating a new temporary nature play area near the basketball court prior to summer. In the interim, Chalmers Reserve is your nearest play space.

The next steps include:

• submitting the remaining building consents, procuring contractor agreements, preparing for site setup and readying for deconstruction of the existing buildings
• at the end of October 2024, we’ll bid farewell to the buildings at 1971-1987 Great North Road, Avondale, to make way for Te Hono. In November, fencing will be installed around these properties, restricting parking in front of the shops. However, parking will still be available at 6 Racecourse Parade. The buildings will then be deconstructed to clear the site
• removing the existing town square toilets to start the relocation of Vector’s power cables
• working with the Avondale Business Association and council to install a new toilet block in a central town centre location.

We’ll keep you updated on the timing of these initiatives.

Te Hono is a cornerstone of the Eke Panuku Avondale urban regeneration programme, which aims to breathe new life into Avondale and ensure the neighbourhood is resilient and can support a strong community. Through this project, we’re working to make the town centre a more vibrant and welcoming place, with better-quality housing, improved public spaces, and enhanced connectivity.

• The need for a new Avondale Library and Community Hub was identified in the Central West Community Needs Assessment and facilities investigation conducted in 2016. The chosen location, which includes the row of shops at 1971-1987 Great North Road, Avondale, was approved by the Whau Local Board. This site offers the best long-term outcomes for the community, allowing the new facility to be seamlessly integrated with an upgraded town square.
  
  
• Te Hono is set to become the vibrant heart of Avondale, reflecting the area's unique identity through a thoughtfully integrated multi-purpose community hub, and upgraded town square. The design brief vision includes encouraging community ownership and activation, supporting the delivery of responsive programmes, services, and activities, and creating a flexible, multi-purpose facility that brings community together.
  
  
• Celebrating the significance of mana whenua and Avondale’s cultural landscapes, the hub will be a place for learning, creativity, and meaningful social interaction, while also complementing and energising the Avondale town centre.
  
  
• Centrally located in the town centre, Te Hono will feature modern library spaces and versatile multi-use areas that can host a variety of community events, both indoors and outdoors. The concept plan, which was approved by the Whau Local Board in June 2021 following public consultation, ensures that the hub meets the needs and aspirations of the Avondale community. For more information, click here.
  
  
• In 2022, 30 additional parking spaces were built to support access to Te Hono, ensuring that locals and visitors can easily attend services and events at the hub.
  
  
• The approval of the concept plan allowed for the development of a preliminary design, which was adopted by the Whau Local Board in September 2023. This design reflects the community’s input and outlines the hub’s key features and functions. More information on the design detail and history can be found here.
  
  
• In September 2023, Auckland Council voted to reallocate $15 million from the planned Whau Aquatic and Recreation Centre development budget to secure the future of Te Hono, underscoring the project’s importance to the Avondale community.