Te Awahou-Nieuwe Stroom up and running

With the appointment of the Trustees for the Te Awahou-Nieuwe Stroom complex its good news for Foxton, Horowhenua and the rest of the country as the serious business of making the dream a reality gets underway.

The project began when Foxton won the right to site a Dutch cultural and heritage centre near the existing windmill to acknowledge the contribution of Dutch settlers to New Zealand and celebrate the many connections between the Netherlands and Aotearoa. It has since expanded to include space for the stories of Maori and Pakeha settlement in the Horowhenua, a visitor centre and a much needed new library.

Final planning is now in the capable hands of 10 new Trustees appointed this week. It's their job to see the project through to completion and make the excitement happen, further helping to make Foxton a 'must visit' destination for local and overseas visitors.

Several critical interest groups were involved in establishing the new Trust: Te Taitoa Maori o Te Awahou, the Dutch Connection Museum Trust, Horowhenua District Council, Horowhenua Library Trust, Save Our River Trust and the Flax Stripper Museum Trust.

Trustees chosen ably represent a mix of skills and experiences and have involvement in a variety of interest and other community groups. Robin Hapi, Chairman of the Electoral College that made the selection, noted that the panel was impressed with the uniformly high standard of applicants and expects they will form a very effective Board.

The Trustees are: Maurits Kelderman and Arjan van der Boon from Auckland, Katrina Barber, Jeremy Manks, Jeremy Eparaima, Bob Tamihana and Charlie Pedersen from Foxton, Alan Smith from Levin David Clapperton and Ben Vanderkolk from Palmerston North