Foxton Futures Group – Expressions of Interest

Foxton Futures.

Are you passionate about Foxton and Foxton Beach and eager to play a key role in their future? 

Expressions of interest are being sought to join the Foxton Futures Group, a team of community members, councillors, and council officers focused on making a meaningful impact in the Foxton and Foxton Beach community.

In December, the Foxton and Foxton Beach Community Plan on a Page received unanimous support and endorsement from Horowhenua District Council elected members and the Te Awahou Foxton Community Board. 

Once the Foxton Futures Group is established, work will begin to create the more detailed Community Action Plan, which will identify the projects and priorities that will bring the Foxton and Foxton Beach Community Plan on a Page to life. 

Council is seeking members of the community who are passionate about Foxton and Foxton Beach, good communicators, and able to bring various groups of people together. This voluntary participation would require a flexible commitment of about five to 10 hours per month, depending on project needs and community events.

Applications will be reviewed and successful applicants notified.

Applications closed on Wednesday 5 March 2025.

Applications are invited from individuals and groups in the Foxton and Foxton Beach communities under the following themes: 

Community

Priority

Fostering and supporting an inclusive and proud community spirit

Foxton and Foxton Beach offer a safe, inclusive and vibrant community with a range of housing options, both in the town and at the beach, with health and support services for every age and stage of life. New and existing residents of Foxton and Foxton Beach are engaged in the community, informed of the opportunities available to them and socially active.

Themes and Actions

  • Create a Communication Plan that will deliver to the various needs of the residents and visitors to provide information about events, services, local businesses and attractions.
  • Develop community hubs and work to identify and bring support groups together. Ensuring community safety and emergency preparedness.
  • Prioritising and supporting community events.
  • Providing access to support and health services.
  • Celebrate and coordinate our volunteers. Encouraging students and community members to develop into leaders within the community.

Recreation

 Priority

Enhancing our community organisations, recreation facilities and assets

The natural recreational environment provided by the Manawatū River Loop at Foxton and Foxton Beach, allows residents and visitors to connect with nature, stay active and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. It is a community that prioritises making recreation accessible to all, while fostering safety and diversity that sees active participation in sports and leisure ensuring our people have ample opportunity to improve their wellbeing and thrive.

Themes and Actions

  • Identify all recreational activities and groups.
  • Work with groups to understand aspirations and potential enhancements of the facilities that could attract more participation from residents and visitors alike.
  • Establish a representative for recreation who can coordinate organisations, volunteers and identify funding needs.
  • Take advantage of the changes that Ō2NL will bring to the community to ensure that good safety design and pathways are created that are inclusive of all users.

Commercial and Tourism

 Priority

Commercial and tourism activities, provide varied employment opportunities

Foxton and Foxton Beach have a clear, attractive and unique identity that draws people to visit and live here. Commercial and tourism activities enrich the local economy, fostering opportunities for employment, business growth and community engagement to benefit residents and visitors alike. People are choosing to live here due to the variety of education and employment opportunities, as well as its commutable distances to larger cities.

Themes and Actions

  • Appoint a representative who can work with businesses to market their business, nurture Māori and Dutch business and tourism capability, and work to develop the tourism for Foxton and Foxton Beach.
  • Coordinate greater collaboration between our community organisations and local businesses to provide a quality range of local, visitor and tourism experiences.
  • Ensure that there are purposely created linkages to the Main Street from SH1 in readiness of the opening of Ō2NL expressway.
  • Gather information on commercial and industrial requirements, now and for the future, then work with HDC to understand how changes can be enacted.
  • Identify current accommodation and eating options. Develop a plan to enhance current offerings and attract new providers.

Culture and Heritage

Priority

Recognising our unique cultures and safeguarding our character and authentic sense of place

Foxton and Foxton Beach is a unique melting pot of cultures respecting its Māori heritage, while also embracing the influences of Dutch and other cultures that choose to live here. This is reflected in buildings, landmarks, traditions and artistic expressions, ensuring they are valued and preserved for generations to come.

Themes and Actions

  • Celebrate our local hapū story and history.
  • Encourage understanding and appreciation of shared local heritage through preserving sites, stories and taonga/historic items and demonstrate their relevance to both the present and the future of Foxton/Te Awahou.
  • Create and capture information about all the heritage sites and buildings, and any required investment, which can be used to inform planning activities about enhancing these places.
  • To celebrate and promote the unique cultural and historical fabric of Foxton and Foxton Beach, fostering a strong sense of community and connection among resident and visitors.
  • Encourage and support educational initiatives, exhibitions and public presentations featuring heritage and culture.

Nature and Environment

Priority

Supporting and enhancing the natural environment

The Manawatū River Loop offers residents and visitors an attractive natural and recreational environment close to the heart of Foxton, while Foxton Beach offers a life that embraces the beach, sun and sea. Multiple generations feel a connection to our natural spaces and are dedicated to respecting, understanding and enhancing the Manawatū River Loop, the internationally acclaimed Ramsar site and the dune reserves.

Themes and Actions

  • Identify Central and Regional Government funds that can be lobbied to support the environmental protection and enhancement aspirations within Foxton and Foxton Beach.
  • Establish an Environmental Hub with ranger and volunteer coordination, who can facilitate regular community working bees.
  • Identify and prioritise actions from local environmental organisations and trusts to coordinate maintenance and improvement of ecosystems and biodiversity.
  • Upgrade signage and access viewing of sites and activities to enhance local and visitor understanding of the environmentally significant sites.
  • Improve water quality by influence and education of upstream users, and through working closely with Council to understand stormwater and infrastructure enhancements that contribute to improved water quality.

Infrastructure and Transport

Priority

Ensuring infrastructure meets community needs

Connecting safe, future proof infrastructure and roading incorporating all types of transport modes to meet the needs of residents and visitors, while supporting community safety, economic growth and environmental stewardship

Themes and Actions

  • Identify current and required connections and links for all modes of transport.
  • Identify enhancements and improvements that could be made to increase the safety for all road users.
  • Appoint a representative to manage the information and communication with the community and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi on Ō2NL impacts and changes.
  • Review and identify transport needs for the community and visitors, and assess where there may need to be new or additional services provided to meet required needs.
  • Explore different modes of transport that could be brought to Foxton and Foxton Beach, such as electric scooters and bike hire.
  • Identify and implement required visitor facilities and services, e.g. improved signage, public toilets, EV chargers, camper and caravan parking, outdoor seating etc.

If you want to make sure you don’t miss any updates on the Foxton Futures project, email foxton.futures@horowhenua.govt.nz and ask to be added to our newsletter list.

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