Council members and locals came together to farewell Ngatea’s Hauraki District Service Centre and Library building on May 21.
The farewell afternoon tea was a chance to chat and reminisce about the building, ahead of its upcoming demolition. It will be replaced by a new purpose-built facility called the Plains Community Hub, a $4.8 million project encompassing a bigger library, and a separate space for council services.
Council property manager Kim Donnelly said the building would be wrapped in the next few weeks for asbestos removal, which will take around six to eight weeks.
Ngatea’s council and library services are still available, and have been relocated to the supper room in the nearby War Memorial Hall for the duration of the project.
Around 50 people attended the farewell event, including Hauraki District Council chief executive David Speirs and several councillors.
Also in attendance was Ngatea local Lorraine Hayward.
Lorraine said she recalled attending the opening of the building in 1973 with her father Hugh Hayward, the then-chairman of the Hauraki Plains County Council.
