Cambridge Connections launches new community reference group

Expressions of interest are now open for people wanting to join the new Community Reference Group as part of the reset Cambridge Connections – Moving Forward Together project.

It will be complemented by an open community ideas forum for anyone to share ideas, question assumptions, and provide feedback on the project.

Both initiatives aim to give people a stronger voice in the future of the town’s transport network.

Project lead, Executive Director Katie Mayes, said the community reference group will bring together up to 15 people from across the community to ensure local perspectives, concerns, and values are front and centre in planning and decision-making.

The group will include representatives from residents, local businesses, investors and developers, environmental and transport groups, community and health sectors, youth, seniors, accessibility advocates, and freight operators. One member of the Cambridge Community Board will also sit on the group to maintain a direct link with Waipā District Council.

Mayes said the group will foster open dialogue and create stronger connections across a number of important community groups.

“We want to make sure the voices we hear are as diverse and representative as possible. This is about ensuring the Cambridge Connections project reflects the identity, needs, and aspirations of our people – now and into the future,” she said.

The group’s role will be to provide early input into key project directions, raise local issues, consider ideas from the community ideas forum, and help the community understand the project as it progresses. While the group will not have formal decision-making powers, its advice will play an important role in shaping the project’s approach.

Meetings will be held at key stages throughout the project, with agendas and notes made publicly available on the council website. The community reference group will operate until December 2026, when the draft Cambridge Connections Transport Plan is scheduled for completion.

Once the reference group is established, the community ideas forum will open. The forum will primarily be an online opportunity for people to see more detailed information and to provide feedback at key stages of the project.

For more information about Cambridge Connections – Moving Forward Together, to apply to be part of the community reference group, or to register for the open ideas forum, visit waipadc.govt.nz/cambridge-connections.