Rawene Playcentre is up and away

Two-year-old Phoenix Dick cutting the cake, with help from Mum Haley Fife and Nana Bev Wallace. Picture / Judy Ingham

Children and their parents have celebrated the grand reopening of Rawene Playcentre, which was closed in 2017 after the building was deemed to be unsafe.

The refurbishment was funded with a $100,000 grant from the Ministry of Education and $10,000 from Playcentre Āotearoa, Playcentre Federation centre support co-ordinator Keri Squires saying, after extensive work, the centre was the first to open since the national amalgamation of the Playcentre Federation.

"The work has been worth it," she said.

"As you can see, we now have a beautiful playcentre, and hopefully we will go back to the old days of the '70s, and Rawene Playcentre will once again be full, as we all know that playcentre is the best place for our tamariki."

Wild weather broke just in time for kaumātua Hone Taimona to bless the building and grounds, while three generations of a Hokianga (and playcentre) family, Bev Wallace (54), Haley Fife (26) and Phoenix Dick (2) cut the cake at the celebratory shared lunch, the gathering including representatives of neighbouring Hokianga playcentres and pupils from Rawene School.

Rawene Playcentre member and mother of two Karee Owen said the centre offered a valuable resource.

"We're so thrilled to have this fantastic facility available for our tamariki, and hope to have many whānau come and play," she said.

"The kids love it here, and as a mum I really value the community that we can build through playcentre. We get great support and training to help our kids learn and thrive."

Rawene Playcentre is open Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am to 2pm.