Work on Wellington City Mission's new $40m community hub begins

Thursday, 14 October 2021

The building, called Whakamaru, will have a community cafe, a social supermarket and 35 housing units designed to accommodate people experiencing chronic homelessness. (First published in October, 2021)

Work on Wellington City Mission's future community hub has begun, with Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson kicking off the demolition in a digger.

The charitable trust has been based in Newtown for 32 years, but in 2023 it will move to Oxford Terrace in Mt Cook.

On Thursday, Grant Robertson climbed into a digger and with the help of a professional, tore down the structure of an old sign hanging outside the commercial building.

He also announced the mission would receive an additional $5 million to help with the building, on top of the $10m grant from the Government’s “shovel-ready” programme.

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Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson kicked off the demolition by getting rid of the structure of an old sign.

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Wellington City Mission’s new community building will be called Whakamaru which means to give shelter.

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Ardern House will be demolished and replaced Wellington City Mission's new community hub.

Mana whenua gifted the community hub the name Whakamaru, which means to shelter, safeguard and protect.

The building will have a community cafe.

Whakamaru, which will cost up to $40m to build, will have a 120-seat community cafe, a social supermarket, and 35 housing units designed to accommodate and care for people experiencing chronic homelessness.

The building will have 35 housing units for those experiencing chronic homelessness.

It will be open 24-hours a day and will also have a food distribution warehouse, kitchens, laundry services, public bathrooms and showers, and sacred space for people to pray. A medical centre, therapeutic creative studios and conference rooms are included also.

The housing units will take over the top three floors of the building, while the first two floors will have the community facilities.

Construction is expected to start in January.

At Thursday's launch, renderings of the building included these words: “Building a community where there is no ‘us and them’.”

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said it would make a significant difference to the community.

“What the building represents and offers to the community is the opportunity to connect with itself and to serve those who are doing it harder,” he said.

“It had taken a long time to get here, so I’m excited for demolition to get under way.”

Robertson said Whakamaru would be a place where the community could build strength.

“It’s a place for people to stay, feel safe and warm and where they will have services where they can grow,” he said.

Robertson said he wanted Wellington to be the opposite of loneliness and Whakamaru would help with that – giving people a place to grow and be with others.

Wellington mayor Andy Foster said while the building plans looked amazing – it was not about the design.

“It’s about the ethos and kaupapa of the building,” he said. “This building has something for everyone and will be a fantastic part of the community going forward.”

* CORRECTION: The construction of the Wellington City Mission community hub will start in January. An earlier version of this story incorrectly it would be completed by January. (Amended October 15, 2021, 10.30 am)