Arapaki has been open since the nearby Te Matapihi Central Library was closed in 2019 due to quake-resilience concerns. The restrengthened and revamped Te Matapihi is due to reopen in 2026.
Wellington City Council Chief Operating Officer James Roberts says the closure is the result of a cost-cutting decision by the Council’s elected members in the recent 2024-2034 Long-term Plan deliberations.
Temporary library services will continue a short walk away, at the Te Awe site in Brandon Street. Library services will continue to be available through the Wellington City Library network of branches and online at www.wcl.govt.nz.
Mr Roberts says the Council is pleased to offer the same in-person services with Community Navigators at Te Awe Library on Brandon Street from 30 September, and at Johnsonville Library in Waitohi on Moorefield Road from 7 October.
“Most of the in-person services offered at Arapaki can be accessed online. If you want to pay rates, parking fines, dog registration or a whole raft of other services, just go to the Council’s Do it online page.
"As we don’t take cash at our Te Awe and Johnsonville library sites, cash payments for rates and water, encroachments and public health invoices, as well as parking infringements can be made at selected NZ Post outlets.
"For people looking for a warm space and somewhere to go, we are working with our facilities and on-the-ground staff in this area. Te Pokapū Hapori community space and Te Wāhi Āwhina further down on Manners St, are two nearby options.”
If anyone has library items on loan when Arapaki closes, items can be returned to any other Wellington City Libraries branch. Change the pick-up location on any reserved item after logging into your account in the library catalogue at catalogue.wcl.govt.nz.
The library branches closest to Arapaki are:
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Te Awe, 29 Brandon Street (0.8km)
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Brooklyn Library, Harrison Street (2.2km)
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Newtown Library, 13 Constable Street (3.2km)
Other information about Council services:
Usual Council services will be available through our Community Navigators from 30 September at Te Awe Library, 29 Brandon Street from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. And from 7 October at Johnsonville Library, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville, 10am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Information about rubbish and recycling:
You can buy official Council rubbish and recycling bags at Te Awe, Johnsonville, Kilbirnie, Miramar, Newtown or Tawa libraries, and the Tip Shop at the Southern Landfill. They are also available at some supermarkets and dairies.
Glass recycling crates are available at:
- Te Awe Library, 29 Brandon Street, Wellington, 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday.
- Johnsonville Library, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville, 10am - 5pm, Monday – Friday.
All the latest information about the Arapaki closure can be found on the Arapaki webpage.