Kawerau District Council is Updating its Age-Friendly and Accessible Strategy
The vision for this current strategy is:
“Kawerau is a place where older people want to live, because their needs and interests are taken into account and their ongoing participation in the community is enabled and valued.”
The Goals of the Age-Friendly and Accessible Strategy are to:
- Encourage older people to be active and participate in community life
- Provide appropriate services and facilities for older people; and
- Ensure that the needs and interests of older people are considered in the planning and delivery of Council activities.
The Age-Friendly and Accessible Strategy is reviewed regularly and is a ‘living document’ (meaning that actions taken will be referenced by Kawerau District Council). We are open to any and all suggestions that can help to improve the livelihood and wellbeing of seniors in the Kawerau community.
We are wanting to ensure we have included all groups that have an interest in Seniors and Accessibility.
From Kawerau and Districts Ageing in Place's (KADAP's) recent Senior Survey, some key points of contention and questions were:
- Footpaths - Ease of use of cracked or lifting footpaths, 'lips' on the footpath crossings; ensuring there is accessible routes on the same side of the road into town when repair work is being carried out. Do you know where any examples of these are?
- Accessible Pedestrian Routes into Town Centre (Footpaths) - Which are the best pedestrian routes for Council to focus on improving into Town Centre? Would any require additional pedestrian crossings?
- Transport - Bus Routes and St John Kawerau Health Shuttle - Transport in and around the District on the Bay Hopper; use of the health shuttle. What can be improved?
- Parks and Reserves - Access into the Parks and Reserves; adequate seating/shade/toilets/water? If not, where are the best locations to install more seating/amenities?
- Information and Collaboration - How do you want Council to communicate? Is the newsletter useful? Are you online? Is your group represented on the Seniors' Forum? Is it simple for you to communicate with council or how could we improve our services?
- Housing – Council has already developed a Housing Strategy that it has been implementing since 2018 which includes the Porritt Glade Lifestyle Village for seniors, freehold house and land development at Central Cove and spec builds at Bell Street. Council is committed to working with Iwi, Tangata Whenua, senior groups and organisations and Central Government to ensure further residential developments are completed to meet the needs of the district.
- Public Transport - Council and the community has advocated for a better bus service which has now been provided by the Bay of Plenty District Council Toi Moana. What are your thoughts on further improving this?
Health Service - Council and the community has worked with St John's to provide the Hato Hone Kawerau Waka Ora | St John Kawerau Health Shuttle. This service is available for daily transportation to and from health appointments for all ages within the Kawerau District to the Bay of Plenty Region. Volunteers from within the District man this service which people can book up to 24 hours prior to their appointment. People are collected at their home, taken to their appointment, and then bought back home again.
If you think you have a good answer for any of the above, or you have other ideas that would be important to capture within the strategy please let us know on the form below.
The current Age Friendly and Accessible Strategy, which we are updating, can be viewed here.
If you have any further comments, suggestions or feedback for us, please let us know by filling out the online form below. Alternatively, you can email your feedback to us at submissions@kaweraudc.govt.nz, drop it into the Council Offices, or post it to:
Chief Excecutive Officer
Kawerau District Council
Private Bag 1004
KAWERAU 3169
