Te Rapa

Te Rapa is a mixed light industrial, large-scale retail and semi-rural suburb to the northwest of central Hamilton, New Zealand that is built on a flat area that was previously the bed of an ancient river, the forerunner to the present Waikato River.
Stretching in a long, thin north–south axis, Te Rapa is home to many factories including Te Rapa Dairy Factory, one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Te Rapa has freight and locomotive depots on the North Island Main Trunk railway.
Demographics.
Te Rapa North, comprising the statistical areas of Te Rapa North and Te Rapa South, had a population of 294 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 12 people (-3.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 33 people (-10.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 102 households. There were 171 males and 126 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.36 males per female, with 51 people (17.3%) aged under 15 years, 54 (18.4%) aged 15 to 29, 138 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 45 (15.3%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 82.7% European/Pākehā, 21.4% Māori, 2.0% Pacific peoples, 8.2% Asian, and 1.0% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 15.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.0% had no religion, 33.7% were Christian, 1.0% were Hindu, 2.0% were Muslim, 0.0% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (18.5%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 45 (18.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 132 (54.3%) people were employed full-time, 39 (16.0%) were part-time, and 6 (2.5%) were unemployed.
Te Rapa area unit had these census results -
For the 2018 census there were some boundary changes and north and south are shown above. For comparison, the equivalent 2013 populations were 186 (North) and 120 (South), which is 33 fewer than in the earlier area.
The median age is high at 74.5 and income low, largely because 267 live in meshblock 0908100, where Metlifecare's Forest Lake Gardens Retirement Complex has been built since 2001 and the median age is 79 and income $23,300. In 2001 that meshblock had only 39 residents, with a median age of 34.5.
Shops.
Post Offices.
There are two Post Shops in Te Rapa, at The Base and at Video Ezy, which, until 2018, was one of the last two in Hamilton renting DVDs, Play Station and videos.
The Base.
Before being given by the government to the Tainui tribe in a Raupatu land settlement in 1995, Te Rapa was also the site of a Royal New Zealand Air Force base. The Te Rapa Air force Base was a major Air Force stores depot. The Te Rapa Air force Base closed in 1992.
Te Rapa's shopping area includes The Base, a large scale retail development that opened in 2005 at the site of the former air force base. As of 2006, The Base contained the largest branch of The Warehouse in New Zealand. With the addition of the Te Awa building in 2010, The Base became New Zealand's largest shopping mall, and still is, as of December 2011.
Fonterra Dairy Factory.
One of Fonterra's largest dairy factories is to the east of the former SH1 in northern Te Rapa. It started to dry powder in 1967 and was officially opened on 20 April 1968 by New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, which became part of Fonterra in 2001. A butter, cream and cream cheese plant was added in 1997 another cream cheese line in 2013 and another butter line about 2019.
It collects up to of milk a day from 1,000 farms. It has around 500 staff, producing roughly 80,000 tonnes a year, including 650 million packets of butter and 33,500 tonnes of cream cheese.
Up to of Waikato River water are used in the processing. It is powered by a cogeneration unit, which uses 27 petajoules of Genesis gas over 6 years. The chimneys are over high.
Te Rapa Racecourse.
Located in Te Rapa is Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton's only remaining horse racing course, and the main racecourse for the Waikato region. It has a symmetrical left-handed track with a circumference of 1788 metres. 
Facilities and hospitalities include a members' facility and private suites.
Major races held at the Te Rapa racecourse include:
Waterworld.
Waterworld (also known as "Te Rapa Pools") is a Hamilton city council-owned pool complex in Te Rapa. In addition to the main facilities, the venue also includes a range of other options including a spa, sauna and steam rooms as well as an outdoor playground. Rides offered at Waterworld include The Python Hydroslide, the Twister Slide and The Screamer Speedslides. The complex was officially opened in late 1976, 15 years after Hamilton Jaycees suggested a new swimming pool complex in Fairfield Park. The suggestion led to an adopted proposal in 1964 to mark the city's centennial and in 1973 the decision was made to instead build the complex in Te Rapa.
Transport.
Road.
Immediately after the invasion of the Waikato, in 1864, there was just a track across the area linking Mangaharakeke (or Manuharakeke) Pā and Kirikiriroa Pā. By 1870 bridges had been built over the streams. An 1875 report said the bridges at Waitawhiriwhiri, Mangaharakeke, Beere's Creek and Hall's Creek, between Ngāruawāhia and Hamilton on the Great South Road, had been replaced, or repaired. Until Mangaharakeke Dr opened in 2012, much of the 1860s road, now known as Te Rapa Rd, was part of SH1.
Railway.
The North Island Main Trunk was extended through the area in 1877, when Te Rapa railway station opened. Te Rapa is the northern end of the section to Palmerston North, electrified in 1988. A locomotive depot and marshalling yard incorporated the Racecourse station site. There is also a concrete sleeper factory at Te Rapa.
Te Rapa Racecourse station.
Te Rapa Racecourse opened near the south-west end of the course on 15 October 1924 and may have formally closed, except for transport of horses, on 7 July 1934, with final closure in late 1967. However, although the first excursion seems to have been advertised in October 1924, the last was in November 1943, when wartime restrictions closed racecourses. It seems to have been used only by freight and excursion passenger trains on race days. Aerial photos show that the site of the station and an area to the north was later used for the marshalling yard and then the locomotive and freight depot.
Freight.
Crawford Street depot.
Fonterra's Crawford St depot is linked by rail to local dairy factories at Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Waitoa, Hautapu, Waharoa, Lichfield and Tīrau. It sends about 33,000 containers of milk powder and cheese a year for export via the Port of Tauranga. An automated cool store was added in 2009 to handle about 235,000 tonnes a year.
Te Rapa Marshalling Yard.
The yard replaced Frankton goods yard and opened on 10 January 1971. It had a hump for shunting, which used Westinghouse retarders and 31 sidings.
Education.
Te Rapa School is a full primary school catering for years 1-8. It has students.Te Rapa School has been the local primary school since 1906.
St Peter Chanel Catholic School is a state integrated full primary school catering for years 1-8. It has students.
Both these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of 