Progressing Our Vision for an Environment Centre

We want to come together as a community and talk about what we need in an environment centre, what we hope to achieve, what’s important to us, and the difference we want to make. While we know there are some challenges, we’re keeping our vision wide open to possibilities, and want to explore:

• Insights from previous conversations over the past 25 years.
• The impact ENM currently has, and what it might achieve with enhanced facilities.
• What an environment centre should include to support our member’s needs.
• How additional or improved space might benefit ENM’s performance and outreach.
• The desire for a city- or regional- focussed environment centre.

We will have a visual storyteller attending the event, so the conversations can shape a clear and inspiring visual roadmap for the future.

Palmerston North is unique amongst similarly sized New Zealand cities in not having a dedicated environment centre, with comparative examples including South Canterbury Eco Centre, Gribblehirst Hub, Kaipatiki Project’s EcoHub, and Christchurch Envirohub.

The concept of an environment centre was proposed in 2001 by Anna Brooking, ENM’s first Environmental Coordinator. This concept was further developed in 2009 in collaboration with Green Hub identifying several aspirations about what a centre could provide:

• An accessible public space providing information and educational services for the community, serving as both a resource hub and a focal point for community engagement with environmental sustainability.
• Opportunities for micro-entrepreneurship and economic development.
• Flexible meeting and workshop spaces for group and community use.
• A demonstration garden area, integrated with existing community gardens.
• Brokerage services for corporate participation, including volunteering opportunities, lunch and learn seminars, or specific sustainability-related advice.

During ENM’s strategic planning day in 2018 it was agreed that creating an urban Environment Centre was a priority and short- and long-term plans were established:

Progress was made in 2020 with the move to ENM’s current location – largely meeting the short-term goals identified.

As ENM’s visibility has grown, so too has demand from individuals, businesses, and councils seeking guidance on addressing pressing environmental challenges. In 2026, we are facing constraints related to storage, meeting facilities, and an insufficient number of workspaces which are all impeding our ability to serve members and the wider community effectively.

It is a good time to reinvigorate conversations about the development of a fully-fledged Environment centre but making this dream a reality will take all of us: your ideas, your energy, and your support. We’ve already made great progress, and every step forward counts – we sincerely hope to see you at our Hui.