I worked in Merivale for 11 years and it’s one of the greatest communities I’ve been a part of. And now that I’m a Labour list MP based in Tauranga I’m so lucky to get to advocate for this wonderful community. Merivale has its challenges ranging from homelessness, unsafe and overcrowded housing, to low incomes and all the effects of poverty that you can imagine. It is a community that reflects the inaction of the National government for the past nine years.
Despite all that, Merivale is a resilient and positive community. And that has a lot to do with the spirit of the people that call Merivale home but it’s also the organisations that support and advocate for this community.
Future of Merivale Community Centre to be heard by Tauranga City Councilors – 14 November 2017
The Merivale Community Centre is one of those organisations who provide. When I was Principal of Merivale Primary I got to work closely with the Centre. When the bell rings at 3pm Merivale Community Centre takes the baton, and runs an after-school programme for our kids. They provide a safe place for our kids to go learn and have fun.
That’s why I’m so excited about the new Merivale Community Centre building project that is going up to Tauranga City Council on 14 November. It’s vital that we invest in community infrastructure just as we invest in roading.
And to the people of Tauranga, thank you for supporting me and the Labour vision for our country. I look forward to working with you to deliver on that vision and build a better New Zealand together.
By Jan Tinetti MP – Labour List MP based in Tauranga
I write for this magazine to talk about the importance of community investment.
