A village with heart
You'll find old-world appeal in this vintage-inspired shopping and community complex, with its unique cobblestone streets and charming historic buildings.
Words Sue Hoffart Photos Jess Lowcher + Salina Galvan
Extraordinary moments happen remarkably often beyond the steel gates that separate The Historic Village from ordinary Tauranga life.
Children with disabilities discover their voices on stage at Detour Theatre, while men wielding hand tools address mental health issues inside the Men’s Shed workshop. At the resident chapel, marriages are conducted beside woven tukutuku panels that previously stood in an old Matapihi church. After dark, artistic careers are launched at gallery openings and new musical talent is discovered at lively gigs.
And every day, people in need receive practical help, counselling, mentoring or even a new job thanks to the myriad of social service organisations that operate from the Village.
Village manager Blair Graham and his team manage the 5.5ha Tauranga City Council-run property, with its sweeping lawns and tracts of native bush, boutique shops and character buildings.
Jewel in the crown
Eight years into the job, Blair’s main focus is looking after the resident community groups and retailers who help to attract more than 200,000 visitors each year.
“This village has heart. It’s a jewel in the crown of the Te Papa peninsula,” he says, describing the way vibrant cultural festivals and corporate events unfold alongside everyday kindnesses. At the recently revitalised Village Cinema, (activated by The Incubator), for example, Sonic Cinema run a relaxed cinema experience for all ages where the cinema is adapted to the audience's sensory requirements and comfort.
The cinema, which can be transformed into a cocktail venue or lecture theatre for corporate groups, is one of five indoor function offerings on site. The Village Hall, which was renovated late last year, is a cathedral-like space with purpose-built lighting and sound systems.
“The thing about hiring a Village venue is that it ticks the corporate social responsibility box because it helps fund all the innovation and collaboration and good things that happen here.
“We host a lot of weddings here, too, partly because our 60-seat chapel has all the charm of a small country church. In fact, my brother was married there 22 years ago and I was best man.”
Sometimes, bridal parties choose to wed in the adjacent amphitheatre, amid tranquil native bush, perhaps with a Whipped Baker cake made onsite and old-fashioned lawn games afterwards.
Festive spirit
Other visitors come seeking entertainment and international cuisine at the city’s annual multicultural festival or the Diwali festival, with its lanterns and incense, swirling saris and spicy food.
During the day, people attend appointments or hui, conduct business or browse the boutique shops that sell everything from vinyl records to vintage or designer-made clothing, gemstones, lead lighting and art. In the evenings, dance lessons and upholstery classes kick off. The weekend crowd is different again as families, cyclists and joggers step off the neighbouring Kopurererua Valley walkway for coffee and treats.
“Early on, we discovered Pokémon geocache players were coming here at night to play the online game.”
Blair’s domain is also part of the city’s wellbeing precinct, with Tauranga Hospital, St John and the TECT Rescue Helicopter service all housed a few minutes’ walk away. Time and again, the centre manager has seen families of people dealing with serious health issues find their way from the hospital to the Village for scones and tea and solace.
“There’s a slower pace of life here. The sun streams into the cobbled streets and it’s a little bit like stepping back in time. It calms people
Baked with love
Baby Albert Cooper was six months old when his mother Fran almost died of meningitis.
The mother of five and Whipped Baker proprietor – Fran co-owns The Historic Village bakery with husband and fellow baker Aaron – has never forgotten the people who saved her life. That’s why any café leftovers go straight to nearby hospital emergency department staff or ambulance officers across the road.
However, leftovers can be tough to find at the incredibly popular eatery, which specialises in “really luscious, sumptuous food that people can’t help but dive into.”
On the day the café launched in 2015, the husband and wife team employed a single barista. That first morning, the customer queue stretched out the door and down the street. Now, the seven-day-a-week business employs 18 extra staff, offers catering services and still struggles to meet demand. Aaron and Fran still frequently start work between 2.30am and 3.30am and all their children help in the business.
“We’ve always been known for our doughnuts and custard slice. We’re very old-school bakers, not people who like fancy food and stuff you can’t pronounce. It’s just good, wholesome, fresh-baked food. Everything is made 100 percent from scratch.”
Fran and most of her family are lactose-intolerant, which means they cannot consume much of the food they produce.
“I can’t eat it myself, but I just like feeding other people. I bake to make people happy.
“And being part of the Village is like being part of one big family. I feel like we’re the village kitchen. I love the atmosphere, love the people. It’s like going home every day.”