The populations of New Zealand’s towns are growing and becoming increasingly urbanised. In response, Matamata-Piako District Council created a new programme that could engage with communities to prepare for these changes.

Place Creative worked with MPDC staff to initiate, design and develop Pride of Place (‘POP’) a programme that crosses over co-design, engagement, communications, community development, activations and events, to find community voices that will shape the future of their town centres. Utilising many methods of collaboration with local people, the programme aimed to uncover their aspirations, and articulate them in a Place Plan. 

Place Creative led the programme design, information gathering, strategic support and advice for the MPDC project team, alongside workshop design, elected member engagement, monitoring and evaluation design, and plan writing.

A copy of Matamata’s POP Plan can be found here.