Aspiring Central has been gifted a Māori name by Kāi Tahu. 

Taking inspiration from its planned range of uses - from hosting sports clubs to a youth club and other groups and activities - Kāi Tahu provided the name ‘Paetara’.

‘Pae’ means bench, usually associated with the orator’s seat, while ‘tara’, in this case, means mountain peaks. 

Together it translates to ‘the bench of clouds sitting over the peaks’.

Paetara was a son of Turihuka at Corner Peak in Hāwea and his grandson, Te Wai-mataau, is associated with the Mata-au/Clutha River. 

The name also draws on the goals of youth club Kahu Youth, which will be an anchor tenant.

Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) chair Simon Telfer said the aspirational theme is also embraced by many sporting groups “so it is a fitting name for the centre”.

Formerly known as the youth, sport and community facility as a placeholder, the multi-use community building was given its English name, ‘Aspiring Central’ in June.

Finalising the names is part of the process as the facility fit-out gets closer to completion.

The work is “tracking well,” Simon said.

The first tenants, Aspiring Gymsports, have now moved into the space, while construction continues on the rest of the building. 

A community-led proposal to buy or lease the former Mitre 10 building to repurpose it as a community centre was originally pitched to the previous community board in February 2021 and in April 2022 a ten-year lease for the building was approved. 

Work on the $4M fit-out began earlier this year.

PHOTO: Wānaka App