It is truly great to see that building of the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Visitor Centre will soon be under way, and especially so as it will see Kawakawa again leading the way, as this will the first sirewall building built in New Zealand.

Kawakawa has the first bit of rail built in the North Island of New Zealand (1868). We also have the first and only authentic Hundertwasser building built in the Southern Hemisphere; the Hundertwasser toilets opened in 1999.

So take a bow all those responsible for bringing this new first to fruition, which has been due solely to one person, the late and great Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

To Meyer Krayenhoff, founder and president of Sirewall Canada, a special welcome, and thank you to you and your team.

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I have no doubt that this authentic sirewall building will become an attraction in its own right, alongside the Hundertwasser toilets. I have no doubt it will generate interest in other communities around New Zealand.

Once again, a special thank you to Friedensreich Hundertwasser for your special gift to Kawakawa and the Bay of Islands, for which we will be forever grateful.

There is no doubt that it is your great gift to our community that has been the catalyst and sole driver of this first sirewall building in New Zealand.

JOHNSON DAVIS
Former Foundation Trustee
Kawakawa