Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

09/06/2026

A great opportunity to find out more about what’s happening in Papatoetoe and connect with your local community. Everyone is welcome – see the poster for details 👍

Come along to the bi-monthly Papatoetoe Community Network meeting this Thursday, everyone welcome!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PapatoetoeCommunity

08/06/2026

Want to learn more about AI in a practical, easy-to-understand way? Head along to this FREE community workshop at Ngāti Ōtara Marae with Namulauulu Nuualii Eteroa Lafaele and Julia Pahina from Fibre Fale. A great opportunity for our community (expect practical insights, great conversations and plenty of laughs along the way) 😁 Ngati Otara Marae

Don't miss out — register now here https://facebook.com/events/s/free-ai-workshop/1889844641706286/

Proudly brought to you by this Local Board ✨

04/06/2026

📣 Bring your mates and try something new every Friday at Rangatahi Piki Ake - a FREE drop-in programme for 13–18-year-olds.

Hang out, get active, and connect with other rangatahi in a fun, relaxed environment. No registrations, no experience needed – just turn up and get involved. Parents and caregivers can feel confident knowing their young people are spending time in a positive, supervised environment.

📍 Allan Brewster Leisure Centre I 7 Tavern Lane, Papatoetoe
🗓 Every Fridays | 3:30pm–6:00pm I Free to attend
👌 Proudly supported by your Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

Enjoy basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and more.

03/06/2026

Environmental spotlight 🔎
Here's what we saw on the ground in May with our very own Dawson Primary School (green / black) representing Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board area - and it's well worth a watch, especially the bloopers at the end ❤

Want to see what on-the-ground environmental mahi / work looks like for our tamariki / children and rangatahi / youth? Take a look at how four South Auckland schools are making a difference through the popular Pest Free South Auckland Moth Plant Competition 2026 ⚡️

These students aren't just learning about biodiversity - they're out there doing the mahi and we love seeing it 🍃 We're proud to be one of four local boards backing this kaupapa.

A huge thank you to the schools featured in this video, and to every school, group, team and individual helping drive this kaupapa forward ✨

01/06/2026

Manuia le Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa I Happy Samoan Language Week 🌺 The 2026 theme is "‘E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le 'nu'u - From the high mountains are the blessings of the village."

There are plenty of FREE ways to celebrate across Ōtara-Papatoetoe. Check out your local library Tupu Youth Library Ōtara Library Papatoetoe Library Manukau Library and Research Centre Te Paerangi or follow Te Puke O Tara Community Centre there are lots of opportunities to get involved and celebrate Samoan language and culture ❤️💙

28/05/2026

Big love to our incredible Enviroschools across Ōtara-Papatoetoe 🌿 We’re lucky to have more than 20 Enviroschools in our local board area — inspiring our tamariki / children and rangatahi / youth to get hands-on with nature, explore their local environment, and lead the way in caring for the places around them. Special thanks to the wonderful teachers and Enviroschools Aotearoa NZ team who bring this to life for these schools 💚

Four days. One local park. A whole community reconnecting with nature. Read all about here https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/05/face-to-face-with-nature/

At Kohuora Park, tamariki, teachers, scientists and whānau got hands-on exploring wetlands, testing water, spotting bugs, learning native plants and hearing the story of Matāoho through mātauranga Māori.

With legends like Ruud “Bug Man” (from TV) Kleinpaste and Frazer Dale leading the way, curiosity turned into action - and a local park became an outdoor classroom full of discovery, laughter and connection 🦗

The best part? It showed our young people that caring for the environment starts right on their own doorstep 🪳

At Kohuora Park, learning came alive - sometimes landing right on your face.

26/05/2026

Yesterday we held our monthly business meeting, where decisions that shape our community are formally made 👍

Our workshops are held weekly to discuss upcoming items, with decisions then made at the monthly business meeting. Meetings are open to the public both online and in person. Our next business meeting is on 23 June.

Items covered this month included local parks, transport projects, community wellbeing, and the draft Local Board Plan 2026 - all helping shape the future of our area ❤

View the full agenda and reports:
https://aucklandcouncil.resolve.red/portal

25/05/2026

🏟️ Sport & Recreation Facilities Investment Fund is open

We have great sport and recreation spaces that will benefit from this fund.

Apply now and help create the facilities your community needs https://tinyurl.com/3246xxks

This fund helps invest in new and improved community sport and recreation facilities so Aucklanders have more places to move, play, and connect, including new builds and major upgrades (fields, courts, clubrooms) and renewals of existing facilities.
🔵 Address gaps in local sport and recreation facilities
🔵 Respond to the changing needs of participants and communities
🔵 Deliver quality facilities by leveraging external investment
🔵 Get more Aucklanders active and involved in sport and recreation

📅 Key dates
* Applications open: 25 May – 19 June 2026
* Decisions due: December 2026
* Activity to start after: 1 February 2027

🔎 What happens next
Applications will be assessed and shortlisted. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide more information, attend a site visit, or answer clarification questions. Applications are then reviewed by an independent assessment panel before final funding decisions are made by the Community Committee in December 2026.

All you need to know about this grant can be found here https://tinyurl.com/3246xxks