The Pāpāmoa community is being invited to celebrate the 20th birthday of their local library and community centre.
To mark the milestone there will be a public event on Monday 15 June featuring free activities and entertainment for the whole family, including face-painting, a showcase of the programmes available, and a look back on the history of the venue and site.
When this beloved community facility first opened on 16 June 2006, Jess Warren was a high school student who dreamed of working there one day.
“When Pāpāmoa Library got built on my doorstep, it was amazing,” Jess says.
Two years later she got her chance, working at the library for a few hours after school and over the weekend. She enjoyed it so much that after going away to university, she returned and has now been working at the library for more than 12 years.
Today Jess is an assistant leader at Te Ao Mārama - Pāpāmoa Library and she says she is excited about the upcoming celebration.
“I’ve seen the site develop over many years ... and seen how libraries have changed; it has evolved with the times and we’re keeping up with the change,” she says.
Jess says community connection is what she loves most about her job.
“I’m very people focused. I love the meaningful interactions we have with our customers, and our team is very innovative and supportive. We come up with new ways to connect with community.”
She says the 20th birthday celebration next month is great opportunity to show the community there is more to the library than lending out books.
There are community-focused programmes on offer, Chrome stations for public internet use, a scanning service, digital support, and friendly staff are always on hand to connect with people face to face and help them with their Tauranga City Council service needs.
The Pāpāmoa Art Collective, which has used the library and community centre for almost 20 years.
Michelle Englehardt’s first introduction to Te Ao Mārama - Pāpāmoa Library was as a visitor looking for internet and a quiet place to work.
Now, she has worked there for more than three years as the team leader, helping connect others to the same community services.
“We help our community. It’s quite a privilege,” Michelle says.
“People need help with lots of things, not only books. Some people come in for a kind conversation.
“We have a wonderful team and they're so community focused.”
The Pāpāmoa Family History Group is another regular user of both the library and community centre.
Pāpāmoa Community Centre is also located within the building and is managed by Bay Venues on behalf of Tauranga City Council.
Sylvia Wilmshurst is the venue supervisor and looks after the seven different-sized rooms and spaces that can be hired for community activities, events or business functions.
Sylvia will be a familiar face to anyone who regularly visits the library; she sits right at the entrance and has worked at Pāpāmoa Community Centre for the past 12 years.
She fondly remembers the venue’s 10th birthday celebration and is looking forward to being part of the 20th as well.
“I've made a lot of friends over the years, and a lot of people come back to the centre just to say hello,” Sylvia says.
She lives locally and enjoys giving back to the community she loves.
“You’re hosting activities and events that people are really thankful for.”
Pāpāmoa Councillor Steve Morris says when the Pāpāmoa library and community centre opened in 2006, “it helped our then much smaller Pāpāmoa feel like a community again after rapid growth in the 90s”.
“Twenty years on, it is still doing that, supporting families, community groups, and everyday life in Pāpāmoa. This milestone is something the community can be proud of, and it is great to see it being celebrated.”
Patrick Gibbons from the Pāpāmoa Art Collective says his group has utilised the library and community centre for most of the venue’s existence over the past 20 years.
He says the facilities are ideal for what his group needs and the central location on Gravatt Road, next to the busy Pāpāmoa Plaza, adds to the appeal.
Pāpāmoa Art Collective has more than 30 members and currently meets every Tuesday afternoon during the school term.
“It’s the perfect place,” Patrick says.
Patrick says the group is encouraging and the aim is to enjoy art and the company of like-minded people.
The Pāpāmoa Family History Group is another regular user of both the library and community centre.
Chairwoman Sheryl Baron believes the helpful staff and the facilities they have access to have contributed to the success of the group.
“The room that we use is literally opposite the door of the library, which houses, for example, our collection of all of the births, deaths and marriages that have taken place in New Zealand,” Sheryl says.
“Everything's nice and close and everything's interrelated and I think that contributes to the strength of the group.”
A full schedule for the public celebration day on Monday 15 June can be found on the Tauranga City Libraries website.
Key venue milestones:
- 2000-2005 :Planning and initial construction
- 8 July 2005 :Site blessing
- 16 June 2006: Official opening by Mayor Stuart Crosby
- 2024: Air conditioning and solar panel installation
- 15 June 2026:20th birthday community celebration
– Source: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, 1871