Mangawhai to rub shoulders with kdc

While for so long it has been ‘muskets at dawn’ between the Kaipara District Council and a number of Mangawhai residents, the two parties are about to rub shoulders as the KDC office at Kaiwaka is shortly to close and relocate to The Hub in Mangawhai Village.

It has been considered by many for some time that Kaiwaka was, in fact, a more central location for the main office of council but if this was ever really considered is certainly now a figment of the past.

The Kaiwaka complex currently home to the KDC, sold late last year to La Nonna bakery owner Ilia Petro who pressed for an increased rate and term as opposed to the current month by month arrangement

“All things considered, the state of the Kaiwaka building and the longer term benefits of moving to Mangawhai made it a no-contest,” said council operations manager John Burt.

The closure, expected in May, will also mean the closure of the Visitor Information Centre and leaves a question mark over the best place and method of promotion for the Twin Coast tourist route and its attractions.

There are some who see the move as a sweetener for Mangawhai people and others who consider it a forerunner to pending boundary changes in light of talks of a possible Kaipara, Whangarei, Far North unitary governing body.

Only time will tell but one may surmise that there will be regular and considerable traffic through the doors of the Mangawhai offices as the commissioners move towards further discussions and ratification of the LTP and the control of the Kaipara debt.