Buses in Porirua will be free on Saturday to cater for the thousands of people expected to attend deputy mayor Kylie Wihapi’s funeral at Te Rauparaha Arena.
By Justin Wong for Local Democracy Reporting
Wihapi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) died in an accident last Saturday. Her tangihanga is being held on Horouta Marae at Papakōwhai, where a poroporoaki will be held on Friday evening.
A civic service and funeral starts on Saturday at 9am at the arena.
Metlink said between 7am and 2pm on Saturday, bus routes 210, 220, 226, 230 and 236 would be free for mourners travelling to the funeral. They do not need to tag on and off but just inform the driver when they get onboard.
The Porirua City Council said the arena’s carpark would be under pressure and alternative free parking would be available on surrounding streets, public parking lots on Hagley St and the railway station.
The council asked those going to the funeral not to park in the private carparks of nearby local businesses.
Books of condolences at Pātaka Art + Museum and the council building are available until Saturday, when they will be moved to the arena for the funeral.
– Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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