Launch of Tararua DigitalSpaces Trailer

22 October 2024

Tararua District Council is proud to announce the launch of the Tararua DigitalSpaces Trailer: a purpose-built mobile facility designed to strengthen local ability to connect communities before, during and after emergencies.

This mobile facility has been purpose-built to adapt to the needs of council and community:

  • During local emergencies, the Trailer can act as a headquarters for civil defence services. That is, it can provide a control point for emergency services staff and can be activated as a communications centre to allow for information to flow in and out of an impacted area.
  • During “peace time” - time where there is no emergency event to respond to or recover from – the Trailer can be used for enhancing the council's ability to connect with and support the community.

Current abilities within the Trailer:

  • Speakers / sound system
  • Multiple TV screens (internal and external)
  • Rural WiFi
  • Ability to operate off-grid (solar powered)
  • Internal meeting room
  • Cooking facilities
  • And more!

It's significant to note that this project was delivered without any involvement of council funds or reliance on contributions from ratepayers. The $150,000 project was made possible through funding received from a successful application from Council to the Department of Internal Affairs Lotteries Minister's Discretionary Fund and through an expanded DigitalSpaces contract with Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.