For
the past 3 years Waihi as a community has been actively engaged in consultation
about its future with regard to the environmental, cultural, economic and social
viability. This has been made possible through the implementation of the Waihi
Community Vision (WCV) process which bought together a diverse range of people
and interests.

Through their
collaboration and collective energies, they produced a montage of possibilities
for the future of Waihi, known as the 2020 Vision. A proceeding evaluation
process was adopted by the group to enable the myriad of projects to be assessed
and prioritised in terms of the community's social, economic, cultural,
environmental and spiritual values.

From
this came the desire to be involved in the implementation of these ideas and
create an organisation that could facilitate the successful manifestation of the
2020 Vision and other suitable projects.

The
Vision Waihi Trust (VWT) was formed in February 2006 and is intended to be a
tool through which the community can address issues about its future
sustainability. They will work collaboratively with community groups, Hauraki
District Council and Newmont Waihi Gold to develop and implement innovative and
practical solutions. It should be acknowledged that such outcomes are subject to
influence by both external and internal factors and it is important to consider
this when looking at sustainability issues.

Waihi is now at a very
interesting stage of its development and has the opportunity to proactively
design and implement plans to determine its future rather than just let things
evolve. A town with a strong sense of its roots and with a strong community
identity may be a more attractive as a place live and work. There are additional
business opportunities which may also be stimulated by a community that takes
charge of its own destiny.

The
process that has been worked through over the past three years gives a solid
foundation on which to build and must be viewed as positive community
development. Waihi certainly has a unique proposition to take to the
marketplace, based on its rich gold mining heritage and current modern day
mining operations. This requires investigation, refinement and implementation
and Vision Waihi Trust looks forward to building to a vibrant and prosperous
Waihi in the years to come.