Million-dollar boost to rebuilding Wairoa

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Post-settlement government entity Tātāu Tātāu o Te Wairoa has welcomed a $1 million government grant to convert Turiroa School in Wairoa into temporary accommodation for trades needed for the Wairoa rebuild as part of the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment  (MBIE) funding means work can begin almost immediately on converting the former school, which was part of the post-treaty settlement for Wairoa iwi and hapū.

The converted school will provide accommodation for up to 19 people with trades needed for the rebuild. Following this it will be used as a residence for cadets as a part of the organisation’s horticulture strategy.

Tātāu Tātāu o Te Wairoa chief executive Lewis Ratapu said the project would contribute to the Wairoa rebuild and recovery on multiple levels. “It means we have accommodation for the workforce we need now to get displaced whānau back into liveable homes, as well as for our future workforce as a part of our long-term economic strategy for the rohe,” he said.

Tātāu Tātāu o Te Wairoa is also working with iwi and hapū to convert North Clyde School into a training and education facility.

The district lacks a large tertiary education campus and facilities.

Kahui who will own the property are keen to see education return to the site of the former primary school.

Trade training is just one of the education initiatives proposed for the school. A small building factory, workshop and classrooms are well into the planning stage.

Mr Ratapu says over 600 whānau remain displaced following Cyclone Gabrielle. Many are still waiting for recategorisation before any repair or rebuilding work on their homes can begin. The factory will provide much-needed temporary housing for those families and will help address the shortage of affordable, liveable housing in Wairoa.

“We have people who are not able to live in their homes, not able to fix their homes, and many are living in makeshift, overcrowded conditions or have moved back into damp and damaged homes despite the health risks. This project will finally deliver some hope for those families,” he said.

Mr Ratapu acknowledged MBIE for supporting the “by Māori, for Māori” solution to the housing and employment challenges the rohe faces.