Latest news with #BegoniaHouse
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Begonia House reprieve celebrated by Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens
Mazz Scannell at a protest outside The Begonia House. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The woman behind a successful bid to save Wellington's Begonia House from demolition says she's "absolutely thrilled" after Wellington City Councillors voted to save it . The popular 1960s greenhouse for exotic plants will now be upgraded, following Thursday's meeting that saw a reprieve for it and two other beloved community assets, the Karori events centre and Khandallah Pool. Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens president Mazz Scannell said she was overjoyed. "It's great result not only for people living in Wellington, but the people who visit Wellington and people who love Wellington. Good on the council for getting in behind it." Mazz Scannell, at a protest earlier this year. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone "I'm absolutely thrilled. It's a big compliment to everybody who helped - and there were many. Some people pounded the pavements and got signatures to those who hosted hoardings to donating so that we could afford to pay for the hoardings. "It was a real community effort and a big community - we got donations from all around the world. It's not just a Wellington thing with Begonia House, it's touched people far and wide. She said there were "two layers" within the army of volunteers who comprised the campaign. "There's probably about 50 people [who] really put themselves out there to make sure that people signed the petition and made submissions. But then there are thousands who talked about it with everybody that they met. I had feedback, especially from counsellors, going 'Oh my God, if I go to one more meeting where all they do is talk to me about the Begonia house'. I said, just vote for it, it's easy." "There were so many people who really were captured by the idea of saving it. because it's such an important thing to so many people, on so many levels." The Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden is fundraising to buy suitable equipment for the interior of the tropical greenhouse. Photo: Wellington City Council A petition to save the greenhouse got 8730 valid signatures. The council had saved the greenhouse but the upgrade budget was minimal, Scannell said. "It's a do-minimum decision. So I'm working with local construction companies who say we're all part of this Wellington community and I've already had enormous support from them, which I'm very grateful for. So I'm hoping that we will have a better than do-minimum building for a do-minimum price." The Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden was also now fundraising to buy suitable equipment for the interior of the tropical greenhouse. "We're now raising money so the inside can be the best it possibly can, as well," Scannell said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Wellington councillors vote to save beloved community assets
The community came out in support in February when the council talked about demolishing Begonia House. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Wellington City Councillors have saved beloved community assets including the Begonia House from the chopping block while shaving back tens of millions for council projects. In October last year the council voted not to sell its 34 percent stake in the Wellington International Airport as part of its 10-year budget - the long term plan. The sale meant the plan needed to be amended. The changes saw then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown install Lindsay McKenzie on the council as a crown observer. Due to the lack of the airport share sale the council has had to look at setting up a small investment fund via ground leases for hazard risks and cutting back funding for projects and assets. The council has agreed to save Begonia House and Khandallah Pool from demolition. However, it did not give the same certainty to the Karori Events Centre. It has agreed to offer the facility back to its trust to fix the building and give them $1.9 million to do that. The trust will then have to work with the council to come up with a plan to finish the site. If that was not done in three months the council would then sell the building. In terms of cuts councillors have decided to slash its Paneke Pōneke cycleway budget from $115.2m to $66.9m, rescale and rephase its low cost, low risk transport projects which saved $67.8m and push back some Wellington Zoo upgrades to name a few. It will also introduce paid parking for motorcyclists and motor scooters at a cost of $1 per hour at a maximum of $6 per day to park in the 68 motorcycle parking bays across the CBD. Councillor Geordie Rogers said that the other success that council has made today was the set up of its small investment fund for natural hazards. "Today we have done a fantastic job ensuring we do have money set aside." Ben McNulty said that the council did too many projects and policies without also asking for reports and what the impact of them would be. "I do think that style has somewhat permeated the long term plan amendment process." Rebecca Matthews asked councillors to be optimistic about the city following today's vote and to give each other grace. Councillors have also agreed to establish a new water organisation jointly owned with councils in the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the regional council. They have noted that they expected the new entity to be established with Wellington residents at the forefront of decision making. It would also look at the establishment of a consumer advocacy group which would scrutinise the entity and support people with changes to a user charges model for water.
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
As it happened: Big day of decisions for Wellington City Council
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Wellington City Council met Thursday to make key spending decisions on Khandallah Pool, the Begonia House, water infrastructure and cycleways for its long-term budget. The City Council meeting as it happened from RNZ's Wellington issues reporter Nick James: Tough calls need to be made after the council last year voted not to free up cash by selling its airport shares. It meant the council had to go back to the drawing board with its long term plan to cut spending. The fate of Khandallah Pool and Begonia House will be discussed, as well as the Karori events centre and water reform in the capital - among other topics. After a round of consultation, which saw over 3000 submissions, councillors will vote on the amended long-term budget. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Live: Big day of decisions for Wellington City Council
Wellington City Council is meeting to make key spending decisions on Khandallah Pool, the Begonia House, water infrastructure and cycleways for its long-term budget. Follow along with live updates from RNZ's Wellington issues reporter Nick James above: Tough calls need to be made after the council last year voted not to free up cash by selling its airport shares. It meant the council had to go back to the drawing board with its long term plan to cut spending. The fate of Khandallah Pool and Begonia House will be discussed, as well as the Karori events centre and water reform in the capital - among other topics. After a round of consultation, which saw over 3000 submissions, councillors will vote on the amended long-term budget. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Wellington City Council considers spend on Khandallah Pool, Begonia House, water infrastructure and cycleways
A Wellington City Council meeting on Thursday will decide the fate of beloved community assets, including Begonia House. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone A major Wellington City Council meeting, partially born from its failed airport share sale, will decide the fate of Begonia House, the Karori events centre and water reform in the capital. In October last year the council voted not to sell its 34 percent stake in the Wellington International Airport as part of its 10-year budget - the long term plan. The sale meant the plan needed to be amended. The changes saw then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown install Lindsay McKenzie on the council as a crown observer . Due to the lack of the airport share sale the council has had to look at setting up a small investment fund via ground leases and cutting back funding for projects and assets. That has led to Thursday's council meeting, where, following a round of consultation which saw over 3000 submissions, councillors will vote on the amended long term budget. The council's decision not to sell its 34 percent stake in Wellington International Airport has meant its long term plan needs to be amended. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver As part of this process, council officers had recommended the demolition of Begonia House - a popular greenhouse built in 1960 to house exotic plants at the city's botanic gardens. It sparked a fierce public campaign to "save Begonia House" which council agreed to do in principle following public consultation. Council officers have recommended to do the minimum required work to keep the building open at a cost between $9.9 and $11 million, but it would not address all safety and environmental concerns. A petition will be presented at the meeting by the Save Begonia House campaign which had 5357 signatures. Like Begonia House, Khandallah Pool, which has been in operation for 100 years, has had an axe hovering over it due to its aging pool tank which sparked a similar campaign amongst locals. It also faces flood risks with its proximity to Tyers Stream. In May last year a report found it would be possible to keep the pool open within a budget of $7.5m. But council officers have still recommended that the facility be demolished due to the need to create debt headroom and the fact the pool accounted for less than one percent of the overall usage of Wellington's pools. It would cost $4.5m to demolish the pool and landscape the site. Councillor Diane Calvert had been a strong advocate to save the facility. It was understood by RNZ that an amendment will be brought forward by Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau to fund a fix for it. Calvert said she appreciated the support of the mayor. "I'm pretty confident that the council will reaffirm its commitment to refurbish the pool within the budget we set three years ago." Councillor Diane Calvert has been a strong advocate to save Khandallah Pool. Photo: The Karori Events Centre is a project that was born from a lack of community halls in the suburb. $2.2m was raised by the locals to build the facility with the shell of the building having been completed in 2018. It was gifted to the council in December 2022 with the intention of them funding the rest of the fit-out of the building, which the council agreed to at a maximum cost of $1.9m. The council said it would now cost $3.3m to do that work, and its staff recommended it be sold. Consultation on the plan overwhelmingly rejected the council's preferred option, with 62 percent of submitters having indicated a preference to invest more money in the project to finish it. Chair of the Karori Event Centre trust Heather Baldwin told RNZ she was pleased with the number of submissions that shared their support for the facility. "We were just flabbergasted when we saw that the recommendation is that they sell the building. "We just think that is such a breach of bad faith." Baldwin said that it did not make sense to go through a consultation process if the community was then going to be ignored. Paneke Pōneke is Wellington's cycle network plan which was adopted in March 2022 and was an update of a cycle masterplan which was created 10 years ago. It aimed to deliver a comprehensive bike network for the capital by 2031. But due to a reduction in funding from NZTA Waka Kotahi that plan has been derailed and the council will now vote on finishing the bike network over a 20-year period rather than a 10-year period. The council will vote on whether to delay finishing Wellington's cycle network plan. Photo: RNZ / Bill Hickman That change would reduce its budget from $115.2m to $66.9m in the long term plan. Cycling Network volunteer Patrick Morgan said that the slowdown of building bike lanes would be a mistake but understood that a reduction in central government funding put pressure on the council. "I understand that some may think let's slow down the rate of moving bike lanes, advocates think that would be a mistake because of the huge benefits of building protected bike lanes." Councillors will also vote on what water service model to use as a replacement for Wellington Water. Under the government's Local Water Done Well reform councils have to decide on how they can set up sustainable organisations to manage water and its related stormwater, sewage and drinking water pipes. Councils must come up with a water service delivery plan by 3 September 2025. Wellington City Council consulted a status quo option, setting up council organisation that solely controls Wellington's pipes and a multi-council water organisation co-owned by Wellington City, Upper Hutt City, Hutt City, Porirua City and Greater Wellington Regional councils. The multi-council options have been recommended by council officers due a range of benefits such as its access to additional borrowing for investment and its size which would allow the organisation to enter better contracts. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
