Hilary Johnson (right) with Louise Buckley in the area where the new horticultural facility will be. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
Hilary Johnson (right) with Louise Buckley in the area where the new horticultural facility will be. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
An ongoing fundraising campaign has come to fruition and Katikati's horticultural centre is ready to take root.
It's been a long time coming, says Katikati Innovative Horticulture Project manager Hilary Johnson, but the intended centre has a start date and the first sod will be turned on September 12.
The centre will be a purpose-built horticultural facility on Katikati College grounds where budding horticulturists can learn all aspects of the industry.
The idea sprouted years ago, Hilary says.
''We are right in the middle of horticulture country and so for a very long time we thought this would be a great way to educate kids. There so many opportunities in the workforce for them and at a higher level ... we should be making our kids part of this community and not have them all leave.
''The industry is crying out for people, and skilled people because the rest can be replaced by automation eventually so what we have done over the last four and a half years is turned horticulture from being basically a low-level gardening programme to a multi-functional, cross-curricular course that kids can take pathways into jobs, or on to polytech, university or internships.''
There are 115 senior students enrolled in horticulture this year, compared to 12 to 15 about four years ago, she says. Horticulture is now an attractive option.
Principal Louise Buckley says horticulture at Katikati College is so much more than just gardening.
''The skills that they are learning are right across the board. Yesterday I saw students learning how to do tissue cultures of orchids. Students go on field trips, they learn about agri-business, robotics, plant science as well as marketing and logistics to name a few ... and the skills they are learning are really transferable.''
Already the old potting shed has been demolished. A very old classroom that cannot be repurposed will be demolished, and a small shed and a few garden beds will make way for building.
The facility will be 240sq m with a 60sq m covered balcony as an outdoor area. The open plan build includes laboratories, a multi-purpose space, kitchen, toilets, office and small group work area ''so it's really flexible because what we do in horticulture is based around student choice — what they choose to learn so there's lots of flexible grouping''.
The centre has been a long-held vision for the trust and has been pitching to businesses and the community including the erection of a sign with a thermometer showing funds raised.
Their aim was $615,000 and they have hit their target.
Hilary says everyone keep on giving throughout lockdowns which was a real credit to the local community. Costs have gone up since they started fundraising though, so they need to continue, she says.
