Sky the limit for Wai-iti Workshop

Life for the old Wakefield Public Library is about to get a whole lot busier with the creation of the Wai-iti Workshop that will bring the community together to fix bikes, repair electronics, and mend clothes.

That’s just a few of the ideas being bounced around by a team of locals who want to see the old library building used for community ventures.

The Tasman District Council gave the 1912 building a major renovation earlier this year and for years the toy library has operated a couple of hours a week from one of its rooms. That leaves a lot of space that is now insulated to do more.

Anna Naygrow-Riedel is in her element as one of the organisers of the Wai-Iti Workshop and is already imagining music and upcycling lessons for school students, movie nights and perhaps a sing-along group, as well as a mix of workshops. As she says, “the sky is the limit”.

“Why have such a nice building if we’re not going to use it? And Wakefield is in such dire need of a hub.”

Though the village is planning a larger-scale hub that will encompass sport and functions, Anna says the old library is another space that can be well used by the community.

“There are so many different things happening in Wakefield and a hub doesn’t need to be a single building. It’s about community and people.”

The workshop will be operated by the non-profit community group which has already successfully obtained a waste minimisation grant of $680 to buy repair kits and recycling bins.

Just inside the library, bins are now set up to collect Tetra Pak cartons, bottle lids and soft plastics from the community. The workshop kicked off with a Mend-It Night last week which is all about textile repairs, and the plan is to have a few sewing machines, darning looms and scraps of materials available for the community to repair and upcycle clothes.

Bike and skateboard repairs are near the top of the list, especially with McGazzaland’s pump track and jump course now in Wakefield. Tasman District Concillor Dan Shallcrass is keen on being involved with bike repairs and will be bringing his skills to the workshop. Anna says they also want to get Wakefield people trained at Nelson’s Bike Hub so their skills can be used in the workshops.

Another workshop will focus on electronics and they are hoping an electrician will “rock up” to assess and guide people with their electronic problems. Anna says the idea is that people will bring along something like a phone, get an assessment, and then bring in the part that is needed to fix it.

“Wakefield has everything, so we might as well be able to fix it.”

It also brings new life back into the old library which has been used over the years as plunket rooms, a classroom, a place for scouts and guides, held dance classes and then the toy library, long after its life as a library.

“We’re using the community building for the community again.”

Go to the 'Wai-Iti Workshop' Facebook page here for more info.