More than 900 people have already shared feedback through Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s ‘Community Quest’ as the District plans for how it could grow and change over the next 30–50 years.

Council has reached the halfway point of its District-wide engagement, which asks communities to weigh in on topics such as housing, transport, infrastructure and protecting the character of local places.

Since launching on February 26, more than 1500 adults and children have taken part in Community Quest events or completed the online ‘Quest-ionnaire’, contributing more than 10,000 pieces of feedback.

Council’s interim strategy and community general manager Emily Watton said the feedback is helping paint a clearer picture of what communities want as the District grows.

“We’ve had so many families coming along to our Community Quest events, people jumping online, and lots of really thoughtful feedback about what matters most in their communities.”

Feedback received is being fed into the early stages of several key planning projects for Council, focussed on future growth.

In Waihī Beach, Katikati and Te Puna-Minden, the engagement builds on earlier work through Council’s Community Ideas Forums.

The Forums, made up of residents and elected members, each met five times in recent months to explore big-picture issues such as growth, transport, environmental protection, housing and community facilities.

Emily says the Forums were a new approach for Council, designed to involve passionate community members early before the conversation opened to the wider public.

“We wanted to start by sitting down with small groups of locals who care deeply about their communities and giving them time to really think about the future of their communities.

“The Community Quest is the next step, giving the wider community a chance to test those ideas, tell us where they agree or disagree, and share their own priorities for future investment.”

While not every part of the District is at the same stage of planning, Emily says every response will help shape the long-term work.

“Growth is happening across the Western Bay. The question isn’t whether we plan for it, but it’s how well we plan.

“The more people who share their views, the better chance we have of getting that balance right.”

The Community Quest survey takes a few minutes to complete at yourplace.westernbay.govt.nz and is open until Wednesday, 1 April. Participants go in the draw to win one of 10 $100 grocery vouchers.

The final Community Quest family fun day event is this Saturday, March 21, at Te Puke’s Jubilee Park from 10am-1pm.

-Content supplied by Western Bay of Plenty District Council