St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Te Awamutu
The Te Awamutu Presbyterian Church has offered to sell part of its land in Mutu Street to Waipā District Council to help fund its new church.
Jill Taylor
Te Awamutu Community Board member Jill Taylor made the announcement at the board meeting this week.
She said the offer had gone into council on Monday. The amount of land would create 30 much needed car park spaces in the middle of town, she told the board.
The church was offering the land to the council and would use the funds raised to help build their church, she said.
Council had first rights to buy, otherwise the land would be sold privately.
Angela Holt
Board chair Ange Holt said it was “thinking outside the square”.
There has been a Presbyterian Church at 80 Mutu Street in Te Awamutu for more than a century.
The previous Hinuera stone church, built in 1960, was demolished six years ago for safety reasons after it was deemed earthquake prone.
Plans for the new $3 million church on the large site incorporate an auditorium, hall, commercial kitchen, flexible function and seminar rooms, counselling spaces, play areas, a barista corner and offices.
The new spaces would be available for use and hire by the community seven days a week.
Church services would be held in the auditorium along with weddings and funerals which have had to be turned away since 2015.
