Heart of Nelson newsletter

Heart of Nelson newsletter September 2011

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:30:47 +1200

Issue 7

The Heart of Nelson Strategy aims to maintain the success of the CBD while responding positively to changing uses and growth pressures and building a sense of Nelson’s identity into the city.

Introduction

While the decision not to proceed with a further round of consultation on the Montgomery Square upgrade project will be a disappointment to many, good progress is being made on plenty of other Heart of Nelson Strategy projects, with several completed in time to spruce up our city for Rugby World Cup 2011. Read on for more details.

Project Updates

Wayfinding Signs

The project team and Councillors have received a huge amount of positive feedback on the new blue wayfinding signs. The larger signs and finger posts are all now in place, making it easier to find your way around Nelson, giving local information and highlighting the routes to local landmarks and attractions. They look very good and can be called truly local. Nelson artist Janet Bathgate designed the artwork and supplied some of historical facts that feature on the signs. Sharlands Engineering produced the steel work – with the powder coating done by Nelson Powder Coaters. Cutting Edge printed the vinyl signage and Tasman Glass supplied the glass. The installation was done by local contractor Oldfields. The Heart of Nelson Iwi Arts Advisory Panel approved the use of the kowhaiwhai, and Celia Hawea assisted with the correct place names and Maori phases that feature on all the signs. The kowhaiwhai were carved from trees on Council reserves that were damaged and had to be felled following the big storm in 2008.

Maitai Walkway

The walkway has been made wider along the lower reaches of the Maitai and the lots of new planting and barking has been done in the gardens alongside. Fencing has been installed for safety on the steep part of the river bank, new asphalt has been laid and the lighting has been relocated to improve the path width. These initial works have resolved the historical bottleneck in this section of the path and complete the all-weather surfacing along the path. Staff are now investigating options for the remaining sections of the river path in conjunction with the wider Rutherford and Trafalgar Park redevelopment and we hope to have options out for public feedback later in the year.

Inner City Pedestrian Improvements

Work is now complete on the raised crossings around the CBD to improve pedestrian safety. New crossing are now operational along Hardy Street at the entrances to Park and Morrison Streets and at Wakatu Lane on Trafalgar Street. The new crossing format – using exposed aggregate concrete and granite setts on the ramp approaches, will be on all new tables in the future and will replace the existing brick tables when they need renewal. The design team are also considering what special treatment can be applied to the raised crossing in the centre of town outside the Bank Lane Arcade to add some creative flair and promote the artistic character Nelson is famed for.

QEII Gateway

Leading New Zealand artist Terry Stringer has designed a sculpture for the Northern gateway to Nelson city. Called Dance to the music of time, it is a three faceted bronze which will stand 5.5 metres tall. It represents the four seasons and references the bounty of the sea, the land and the people. It will be on a two metre plinth which reflects the shape and form of the Cathedral and Trafalgar Bridge, acting as a landmark linking sea to city. The plinth will also feature the kowhaiwhai pattern unique to Nelson. The aim is to have the sculpture in place by June 2012. The Gateway project will include a promenade and landscaping improvements to the edge of Kinzett Terrace to allow people to appreciate the artwork. The sculpture will sit in a circular plaza back from the road with low native plantings to the road side. There will also be steps down to access the foreshore and tidal flats of the haven.

Maitai/trafalgar street bridge Gateway

The first stage of this project to create a sense of entry into the city at the Trafalgar Street Bridge has been completed. The rest of the work (a new balustrade and lighting) has been held over due to a delay in sourcing materials and will resume again after the Rugby World Cup 2011 matches have been completed.

TRAFALGAR BRIDGE/MAITAI WALKWAY PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENT

This project links both the improvements to the Maitai Pathway and the Trafalgar/Maitai gateway. Currently there are safety issues for pathway users wishing to cross Trafalgar Street at the Bridge. The bridge pillars and kerb alignment means people have to step onto the road to get a clear view of oncoming traffic. Staff are investigating what changes can be made to improve pedestrian safety without unduly holding up traffic on Trafalgar Street. Once Council has reviewed the plans, the proposal will be put out to the wider public for consideration and feedback to see if we are on the right track.

Bridge street landscaping and improvement

Consultation is getting underway with businesses, building owners and bar owners around the top of Bridge Street about how the area can be improved. Staff will also be working with other interested parties – Chamber of Commerce, Uniquely Nelson, Police - to scope ideas and possible joint initiatives. Look out for more updates as the project develops.

TREES

More than 900 trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted as part of the Heart of Nelson projects in the last 18 months. The Street Tree programme planted over 50 trees on Halifax, Rutherford, Tasman and Vanguard Streets, Neale Park has had close to 40 Titoki and Totara trees planted along the North Road edge and leading to the ablution block. Almost 850 plants have been added to the banks on the lower reaches of the Maitai River. The aim of the plantings is to soften the urban environment and attract birdlife into the central city.

cycling improvements

As part of the cycleway network on Vanguard St and through Oxford St, a pedestrian/cycle refuge has been installed on Hardy St, and design work has begun on the planned cycleway along St Vincent Street. The planned improvements to Rutherford Park and the Maitai Walkway will also improve cycling linkages and walking opportunities.

new PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE

Some of the new projects on the “to do” list are:

Changes to zoning and updating design controls in the City Centre
Refurbishing or replacing the Buxton Square toilets
New toilets on the edge of 1903 Square, near Church Hill
Improved CCTV to enhance safety at night

Montgomery Square

A tied vote at a Council meeting on 1 September means that the proposal to reopen consultation on the Montgomery Square upgrade project will not proceed.
Council needed a majority to vote in favour of the proposal to progress it, a tied vote was not sufficient.
Infrastructure Portfolio Holder Councillor Gail Collingwood commented “While there was support for going back to the community with a clean slate on this project, there were also concerns about the timing of it and the cost of the consultation we’d been advised we’d need to undertake. In the end there wasn’t the appetite around the Council table to consult any further on this project to upgrade the Square.”

Conclusion

Thanks for taking an interest in how Council is working towards improving our City and meeting the goals set out in the Heart of Nelson Strategy. These include:

To keep the City vibrant and attractive
To improve our public places in the City so people want to spend more time here
To make it easy to get around on foot, by bike and by car
To give it a “Nelson” identity
To make the most of the great scenery and climate we enjoy
To make better connections between the City, the river and the sea
To look after the things we value – our heritage, culture and nature
To make it a place where businesses can flourish
To make it a place that people choose to live in
To make our City feel safer for everyone
The most important goal of all – He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata – it’s about people, people, people.

Contact

For more information contact:

David Jackson, Principal Adviser City Development, phone 546 0432.

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[1159024]

Heart of Nelson June 2011 newsletter

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:20:09 +1200

June 2011 Issue 6

The Heart of Nelson Strategy aims to maintain the success of the CBD while responding positively to changing uses and growth pressures and building a sense of Nelson’s identity into the city.

Introduction

Good progress is being made with implementing the Heart of Nelson Strategy. Read on for details of the individual projects.

Project Updates

Wayfinding Signs

Holes are now appearing all over central Nelson that will soon be filled with the clear and attractive new signs that will make it easier to find your way around our City and to enjoy all it has to offer. Look out for the locally made signs appearing in the first week of July (weather permitting).

Montgomery Square

Following the High Court decision to grant an injunction to halt the start of construction, the project is on hold. Council has considered this project as part of the Annual Plan and has decided to retain funding to progress this over the next two financial years. How and when the project might progress will be the subject of a staff report and more discussion around the Council table later in the year. We are mindful of the High Court ruling and, should the project proceed, we’ll be taking an open minded and inclusive approach to consulting with everyone involved to get the best possible outcome for the Square.

Maitai Walkway

Work is complete on the alterations to the building at 16 Paru Paru Road to remove a troublesome bottleneck and give more width on the riverside pathway, improving visibility and safety. Fencing and lighting work is now underway, and will be followed be the construction of an all-weather asphalt pathway. Weather permitting, works should be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Council has also retained the proposal in the Annual Plan to fund further improvements to the Walkway as part of developing Rutherford Park. Planning and design work for this will happen over the coming financial year.

Bridge Street Carriageway Extension

A report will go to Council in the next financial year to discuss the options for this. A key issue is the services located beneath the road and how to deal with them.

Inner City Pedestrian Improvements

Work is progressing well on the construction of the raised crossings along Hardy Street. The entrance at Park Street is substantially completed, and the raised crossings at Morrison Streets and Wakatu Lane on Trafalgar Street will be completed soon.

QEII Gateway

A preferred artist has been chosen for the QEII Gateway Sculpture Project and the contract is expected to be signed very soon. Detailed concept plans will be published once they are available and the intention is to have the sculpture in place by June 2012.

Maitai/trafalgar street bridge Gateway

The first stage on the project to create a sense on entry into the city at the Trafalgar Street Bridge will begin in the next couple of weeks. This will involve plastering work on the bridge, a new balustrade and lighting. All work should be completed by the end of July.

Grove Street Pedestrian Improvements

Work on this project is now complete. The driver for this project was to improve pedestrian safety, which has been achieved by reducing the carriageway on the southern side of the junction.

Projects on hold

The following Heart of Nelson projects have been deferred pending implications of the Arterial Traffic Study - Haven roundabout junction, Cycle lanes and Akersten Street redevelopment.

Conclusion

Thanks for taking an interest in how Council is working towards improving our City and meeting the goals set out in the Heart of Nelson Strategy. These include:

To keep the City vibrant and attractive
To improve our public places in the City so people want to spend more time here
To make it easy to get around on foot, by bike and by car
To give it a “Nelson” identity
To make the most of the great scenery and climate we enjoy
To make better connections between the City, the river and the sea
To look after the things we value – our heritage, culture and nature
To make it a place where businesses can flourish
To make it a place that people choose to live in
To make our City feel safer for everyone
The most important goal of all – He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata – it’s about people, people, people.

For more information contact David Jackson, Principal Adviser City Development, phone +64 546 0432.

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Heart of Nelson Newsletter March 2011

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:00:17 +1300

Issue Five

Introduction

Good progress is being made with implementing the Heart of Nelson Strategy. Read on for details of the individual projects.

Project Updates

Montgomery Square

New information updated 29 April 2011

The High Court issued an order on Thursday 21 April preventing Council from letting the tender to carry out the work on the planned upgrade for Montgomery Square. This means the project will not be completed in time for Rugby World Cup 2011.

The Court decision hinged on the special circumstances around the change of use for the car park, which the Judge said generated the need for additional consultation. Council will now reflect on the implications for the future of the Montgomery Square project and make a decision on how to progress it in due course.

Wayfinding Signs

This project is all about making it easy to find your way around our City and to enjoy all it has to offer. You can see images of the signs here on the Council web site. Installation of the signs will start after Easter.

Bridge Street Carriageway Extension

A recent presentation by Kobus Mentz (Urbanismplus) to Councillors as part of the Annual Plan workshop reiterated the importance of progressing with this connection because of the opportunities it offers to the CBD. Services located beneath the road still remain an issue and this along with the project’s long term direction will be pursued followed up in the next financial year.

Inner City Pedestrian Improvements

The designs for raised crossings along Hardy Street at the entrances to Hope, Morrison and Park Streets and on Trafalgar Street at Wakatu Lane (entrance to Wakatu Square car park)have been tendered. Construction is scheduled for after Easter.

QEII Gateway

The Art Selection Panel met last month to consider 46 Expressions of Interest in the QEII Gateway Sculpture Project. They were assisted in the process by four independent art experts who provided written input for the meeting. The Panel was impressed with the range and quality of submissions with a good mix of local, national and international artists applying. There was a rigorous assessment of every submission and three artists have been shortlisted to create a concept for the site. Concepts will be presented back to the panel on 18 May when a final design will be chosen. This will be created over the following year with the intention of being in place by June 2012

Maitai Gateway

The Trafalgar Street Bridge and the Maitai River form a threshold to the CBD and work on some additions to enhance the arrival experience into the CBD will be tendered shortly.

Maitai Walkway

The Maitai Walkway is proposed to form an integral part of the Rutherford Park Development along with the proposed Performing Arts and Conference Centre. Budgets have been amended accordingly as part of the Annual Plan. In addition, a design has been prepared for amendments to the building at 16 Paru Paru Road to allow width on the riverside pathway, improving visibility and safety and allowing the pre-RWC surfacing and fencing to be done. Agreement in principle has been received and staff will now lodge the building consent and tender the works.

Grove Street Pedestrian Improvements

This work has started on this project as part of the planned maintenance programme for kerb renewal.

Projects on hold

The following HON projects have been deferred pending implications of the Arterial Traffic Study - Haven roundabout junction, Cycle lanes and Akersten Street redevelopment.

Conclusion

Thanks for taking an interest in how Council is working towards improving our City and meeting the goals set out in the Heart of Nelson Strategy. These include:

To keep the City vibrant and attractive
To improve our public places in the City so people want to spend more time here
To make it easy to get around on foot, by bike and by car
To give it a “Nelson” identity
To make the most of the great scenery and climate we enjoy
To make better connections between the City, the river and the sea
To look after the things we value – our heritage, culture and nature
To make it a place where businesses can flourish
To make it a place that people choose to live in
To make our City feel safer for everyone
The most important goal of all – He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata – it’s about people, people, people.

Contact

For more information contact

David Jackson, Principal Adviser - City Development, phone 03 546 0432.

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[1056275]

Wayfinding sign design update

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:01:02 +1300

Wayfinding signs underway

Council staff have been working hard with urban designers Isthmus Group and Art Consultant Janet Bathgate Design to develop a sign format for Wayfinding around Nelson. The signs will assist locals and visitors in finding their way around the city and to key destinations like Founders Heritage Park, the Marina and the Centre of New Zealand.

The signs will be robustly constructed from glass, steel and wood and include mapping information on both sides of the sign. The sign format has been passed by a number of focus groups during development and has received a high level of support from Iwi and other stakeholders.

The implementation cost is currently being finalised, and the roll-out of the signs is intended to start shortly, to be in place in time for the Rugby World Cup. The attached images show the preliminary suite of sign street furniture, with a number of Wayfinding sign formats. The sign suite has subsequently been simplified to include an ‘orientation’ sign that incorporates a location map to provide context, and a detailed map identifying points of interest in the vicinity, with a fingerpost to assist in route finding along the way.

Download wayfinding design files

Download the three-page drawing file with wayfinding sign designs (5.9MB PDF)
Download the one-page wayfinding locations file (2.4MB PDF)
(added 10 February 2011)

Heart of Nelson Newsletter December 2010

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:20:35 +1300

December 2010 - Issue Four

New draft designs released

Several new draft designs for projects are now open for feedback.

Inner city pedestrian improvements

Designs for the addition of raised crossings along Hardy Street and at Wakatu Lane (entrance to Wakatu Square car park) have been done and Council is now seeking feedback from businesses on them. You can see the draft designs here. After feedback has been recieved and the design is finalised the job will be put out for tender for construction. Planning for the landscape improvements to Bridge Street is ongoing, but won’t reach the building phase until next financial year.

Lower Trafalgar Street

A draft design has been developed for improvements to pedestrian safety around the Grove and Trafalgar Street intersection. You can see the proposed design here. Affected people in the area are being consulted. Once feedback has been received the plan will be finalised and put out for tender with construction to be scheduled early in the New Year.

2010 achievements

As 2010 draws to a close it's a good time to reflect on what we've achieved this year under the Heart of Nelson Strategy and to look forward to some of the exciting projects to come in 2011.

The Wayfinding Strategy

This project was all about making it easy to find your way around our City and to enjoy all it has to offer. Many individuals and groups helped Council out on this project. A draft design for how the wayfinding signs will look was well received and the tender for building and installing the signs will be released soon.

Tree Planting

As per the goal of the Strategy to encourage nature to be a part of the City Centre, tree planting was carried out in North Road, Bridge, Vanguard, Halifax, Collingwood, Tasman and Rutherford Streets. Since the project was completed, Council has had lots of really positive comments about how it has improved the look of the city.

Montgomery Square

After lots of discussion with Councillors and the community, a plan was finalised to upgrade this important central city space without losing any car parking capacity. Consultation with Nita Knight, the founder and owner/operator of the Nelson Market is now complete and applications have been lodged for building and resource consents. The tender for construction should be out by Christmas and barring any unforeseen hold ups, construction will begin after Easter 2011. The main aspects of this major project include:

creating a “pocket park” with green space in the middle of the Square,
making more room for seating and people along the eastern edge,
improving the connection through Bank Lane,
making it easier for pedestrians and cars to share the Square,
incorporating art and sculpture;
and a speed table at the Hardy Street entry.

Plan Change 21 – Parking and related changes

Part of Plan Change 21 implements Heart of Nelson Strategy items C38-C40, and A5. It proposes changes to parking, zoning and design controls in the Nelson Resource Management Plan as it applies to the Inner City). It closed for public submissions on 3 December.Staff are now working through the submissions and will schedule a hearing if required in the New Year.

Project Updates

Each of these projects works towards achieving the aims of the Strategy. Here’s a look at where they are up to.

The Maitai Walkway

The walkway will be an important access to Trafalgar Park when the RWC 2011 games are on and some interim tidy up work will be done by June 2011. Design for the long-term improvements to the walkway is underway, including changes to an adjacent building to create more space at the lower end of the walkway.

Upper Trafalgar Street

Projects proposed for Upper Trafalgar Street include minor physical improvements to improve the pedestrian and recreational environment, developing a management plan to optimise appropriate temporary closure of the area. This will include a speed table on Selwyn Place to better link the Church Steps to the paved area at the top of Trafalgar Street. It will make the area better for road closures and community events like Carols by Candlelight. It is important to note that the full closure of Upper Trafalgar Street is not part of this project and is not supported by the Heart of Nelson Strategy – unlike earlier, unrelated community consultation. The development proposed is more about making periodic closures simpler to set up. Staff are presently canvassing businesses in this area seeking their initial ideas. At this stage in order to give sufficient time for a full consultation with businesses, it is expected that construction will be delayed until next financial year.

The gateways to our City

The aim is to develop the main gateways into Nelson to create a sense of arriving somewhere exciting and unique. There are two aspects to this project, namely the artwork and the QEII/Trafalgar Intersection landscaping upgrade.

QEII site

Artwork - A revised Expression of Interest (EOI) was advertised last week for the QEII Gateway Artwork. A comprehensive brief has been developed to accompany the EOI so that interested artists can better understand the scope of the project. Council’s Arts Selection panel will shortlist artists in February and up to three will be selected to develop their concepts further.

Urban Design Treatment of the Roundabout - The urban designers have come up with several options for landscaping around this intersection to provide a more defined a ‘sense of arrival’ into the city. Staff are now taking these ideas in-house to work up further.

Maitai Gateway

Work is also continuing on enhancing the gateway at the Trafalgar St Bridge. As space is limited in this location, the design team are investigating a lighting scheme for the bridge footpaths and structure.

Bridge Street extension

The Strategy proposes extending Bridge Street through into Vanguard Street and this is still in the early stages of investigation. The first priority is to assess whether the utilities and telecommunications lines under Vanguard Street will be affected by the road construction and, if so, how much it would cost to move them. Some additional trial holes have been dug to get a better a idea of exactly where the services are. These are now being evaluated and will have a bearing on how the project moves forward. This road extension could be a key link in the long term redevelopment of the western CBD with the aim of encouraging new economic opportunities.

Work awaiting Traffic Study and other projects

Some Heart of Nelson projects, including cycle lanes and changes to intersections and traffic signals and the development work around Akersten Street won’t go forward until the findings of the Arterial Traffic Study are released in late February 2011 and decisions are made by Council on other significant projects that could have an impact on these areas.

Conclusion

Thanks for taking an interest in how Council is working towards improving our City and meeting the goals set out in the Heart of Nelson Strategy. These include:

To keep the City vibrant and attractive
To improve our public places in the City so people want to spend more time here
To make it easy to get around on foot, by bike and by car
To give it a “Nelson” identity
To make the most of the great scenery and climate we enjoy
To make better connections between the City, the river and the sea
To look after the things we value – our heritage, culture and nature
To make it a place where businesses can flourish
To make it a place that people choose to live in
To make our City feel safer for everyone
The most important goal of all – He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata – it’s about people, people, people.

It has been a very busy year in planning many projects at once. Next year will see more of the projects taking physical shape. It will be an exciting time as we can see the impact the improvements will have on the centre of Nelson.

Contact

For more information contact

David Jackson, Principal Adviser - City Development
phone 03 546 0432

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[1021777]

Heart of Nelson newsletter October 2010

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:53:01 +1300

Oct 2010 Issue 3

The Heart of Nelson Strategy aims to maintain the success of the CBD while responding positively to changing uses and growth pressures and building a sense of Nelson’s identity into the city.

Introduction

As we roll out specific projects under the Heart of Nelson banner it is easy to get caught up on the details of each one but it’s important we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Now is a good time to remind ourselves about the aims of the Strategy. These were well-received and supported by many people and groups when Council consulted widely during drafting and finalising the Heart of Nelson Strategy in 2008/09.
The goals include:

Keep the City vibrant and attractive
Improving our public places in the City so people want to spend more time here
Make it easy to get around on foot, by bike and by car
Give it a “Nelson” identity
Make the most of the great scenery and climate we enjoy
Make better connections between the City, the river and the sea
Look after the things we value – our heritage, culture and nature
Make it a place where businesses can flourish
Make it a place that people choose to live in
Make our City feel safer for everyone
The most important goal of all – He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata – it’s about people, people, people.

Project Updates

Each of these projects works towards achieving the aims of the Strategy. Here’s a look at where they are up to.

The Wayfinding Strategy

This project is all about making it easy to find your way around our City and to enjoy all it has to offer. It is going well.

Click here to download the draft concept designs for the signage (79KB PDF)

Costs are now being worked out and the project will go out for tender in the next few weeks. The aim is the have all the new signs in place in time for Rugby World Cup 2011. Thanks to all the individuals and groups that helped Council out with this big project.

The Maitai Walkway

As we reported before, the major upgrade has been delayed but some tidy up work will be done before Rugby World Cup 2011. The walkway will be an important access to Trafalgar Park when the games are on. As the walkway crosses private land in places, Council staff are sorting out access with the land owner before work gets underway.

Montgomery Square

This project is now all go and plans are being finalised so the construction work can go out for tender shortly. Concerns raised about the loss of car parks in the original design were addressed with a new layout that met with approval around the Council table.

There are several aspects to this major project including:

creating a “pocket park” with green space in the middle of the Square,
making more room for seating and people along the eastern edge,
improving the connection through Bank Lane, (working in co-operation with the owner of the Bank Lane canopy)
making it easier for pedestrians and cars to share the Square,
incorporating art and sculpture;and
a speed table at the Hardy Street entry

Barring any unforeseen hold ups, construction is scheduled to begin in April 2011.

Tree Planting

As per the goal of the Strategy to encourage nature to be a part of the City Centre, tree planting is now underway in Bridge and Vanguard Streets. It has been completed and well received by residents in North Road. Halifax, Collingwood, Tasman and Rutherford Streets are next on the “to do” list.

Improvements in Hardy Street

Designs for the addition of raised crossings along Hardy Street at the entrances to Hope and Morrison Streets are underway. We will be going out to businesses for feedback once the preliminary design is firmed up. The job will then be put out for tender by the end of the year. A design for improvements to Bridge Street is now in the pipeline but won’t reach the building phase until the next financial year.

Upper Trafalgar Street

Isthmus, the Urban Designers for the Strategy are now working on plans to make this already popular area even better for recreational use. This will include a speed table on Selwyn Place to better link the Church Stops to the paved area at the top of Trafalgar Street. It will make the area better for road closure and community events like Carols By Candelight. Consultation with affected businesses will follow.

Queens Garden Access

A new entrance is planned from Albion Square into the Gardens, making a more direct connection from the central City. This is being designed now and will go out to tender in November .

The gateways to our City

Council has advertised for expressions of interest from artists keen to work on this project to beautify and mark the main entrance to our city at the Trafalgar/QEII roundabout and either the Trafalgar or Collingwood Street Bridges. The plan is to create a sense of arriving somewhere exciting and unique – Nelson!

Bridge Street extension

The Heart of Nelson Strategy proposes extending Bridge Street through into Vanguard Street. This idea is still in the early stages of investigation. The first priority is to assess whether the utilities and telecommunications lines under Vanguard Street will be affected by the road construction and, if so, how much it would cost to move them. This will have a major bearing on how the project will move forward. This road extension could be a key link in the long term redevelopment of the western CBD with the aim of encouraging new economic opportunities.

Lower Trafalgar Street

Design work on improvements for pedestrian safety around the Grove and Trafalgar Street intersection is now underway. Designs should be completed in November.

Wakatu Square

Detailed design work for a raised crossing at the Trafalgar Street entrance to Wakatu Square will be finished shortly and then tendered for construction.

Work awaiting Traffic Study and other projects

Some Heart of Nelson projects, including cycle lanes and changes to intersections and traffic signals and the development work around Akersten Street won’t go forward until the findings of the Arterial Traffic Study are released by the end of this year and decisions are made by the new Council on other significant projects that could have an impact on these areas.

Plan Change 21 – Parking and related changes

The main features relating to the Inner City are:

The location, design and appearance of privately provided carparking areas
The amount of private parking provided
The block bounded by Collingwood, Hardy, Harley, Malthouse Lane and Riverside is to be treated as if it were City Centre with provision of parking by businesses as not compulsory (and sites will later become subject to the special City Centre rate)
The design and appearance of new or altered buildings in this block will be regulated to control the location of onsite parking.

The rest of the Plan Change applies to the entire City and includes:

Reduction in parking requirements across the region for some activities
A new parking standard for motels, backpackers and other travellers’ accommodation, which to date have needed resource consent for parking
A new policy to guide applicants and decision makers on when a reduction in parking may, or may not, be appropriate to allow by resource consent
A new rule allows the number of car parks to be reduced if cycle parks are provided instead
A minor change to the sign rules clarifies that directional and ‘wayfinding’ signs for pedestrians and cyclists are allowed

For more information

You can find out more about this and other plan changes on the Council website. You can also visit Civic House or the Nelson Public Libraries, or ring David Jackson on 03 546 0432 or email david.jackson@ncc.govt.nz

Conclusion

Thanks for taking an interest in how Council is working towards improving our City and meeting the goals set out in the Heart of Nelson Strategy. As you will understand, several of the projects involve working with private landowners and businesses. Sometimes Council is obliged to keep these negotiations confidential to protect privacy rights or in the case of businesses – for commercial sensitivity. Rest assured that we will do our best to keep everyone up to date with what is happening as soon as we are able to.

Contact

For more information contact

Martin Workman, Manager Environmental Policy
phone 03 546 0431

Simon Talbot, Senior Engineering Officer
phone 03 546 0272

David Jackson, Senior Policy Planner
phone 03 546 0432

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[988380]

Heart of Nelson 2010 July newsletter

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:57:24 +1200

Introduction

Welcome to the second Heart of Nelson Newsletter. As the year whizzes past, good progress is being made on many of the projects listed in the Strategy. In this edition of the Newsletter we’ll focus on bringing you up to date on a project by project basis.

Montgomery Square

Detailed design for this project is expected to be completed within the next two to four weeks.

These include the plans for the pocket promenade along the eastern edge of the Square, and the pocket park leading from Bank Lane to the toilet block.

Urban Designers have been consulting with the Nelson Market organisers to ensure the new layout will fit and complement the existing Market set up.

Investigations are continuing into the layout for Bank Lane and the Trafalgar Street end of the project.

Plans are also underway for the details and materials for the seating and planting within the Square.

Construction in these areas will begin later in the year with every care taken not to disrupt things too much for market goers and vendors over the busy summer period.

Updated 10 November

Subsequent to newsletter publication the proposal has been amended, please see the new draft drawing

Click here to see an artist rendering of some of the planned changes. (2.2MB PDF)

Wayfinding

The Wayfinding Strategy is complete. Thanks to all those who took part in the workshops and offered feedback on this.

The Signage Strategy is now being developed in conjunction with the Arts Consultant. Firstly, they’ll finalise the Map and graphic components, before developing the signage hardware. The aim is to have the wayfinding signage installed next financial year before the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Other related projects include:

Continuing the development of the 1840’s Coastline heritage plaques, with the next to be laid outside the Theatre Royal.

Barrier Free Assessor, Judy Cox, completed a footpath audit of the CBD and city fringe to identify footpath faults and barriers for disabled user in city infrastructure. The data will be collated and used to identify remedial works for Council’s maintenance programme.

Trees

Trees to foster improved biodiversity and landscape trees are soon to be planted in North Road, Bridge Street (Maitai to Milton), Halifax, Collingwood, Rutherford and Vanguard Streets.

Maitai Pathway

Following the Council workshop held on 22-23 February, a decision was made to defer this project until the 2011/12 financial year. However $100,000 is proposed in the draft annual plan for 2010/11 to tidy up the existing pathway in preparation for the Rugby World Cup.

There were several factors that prompted the decision to defer the project:

Council is currently working on a Memorandum of Understanding with Wakatu Incorporation relating to land exchanges throughout the region. Some of the land the Pathway travels across is owned by Wakatu Incorporation so this will have a major effect on the project

The Rutherford and Trafalgar Park Reserves Management Plan is in the process of being reviewed and could affect the project

Sites on Rutherford Park and at the Trafalgar Centre are now being considered for a Performing Arts Venue and/or Conference Centre. Either are likely to have an effect on the Pathway project.

Given the complexity of the project, staff weren’t certain it would all be finished in time for Rugby World Cup 2011 and having a project under construction so close to the game venue could be very inconvenient.

However some good progress has been made on the project and deferral now allows some extra breathing space to assess priorities in terms of getting the best possible Pathway within budget constraints

Bridge St Road Extension

Detailed design work is almost complete and will be presented to the Implementation Group for approval. Costing and tender documents will then be prepared in the 2010/11 financial year to determine if the project remains within budget.

Cycling improvements

Major improvements for cyclists have now been completed on Oxford Street, allowing cyclists (particularly the many school children who use this route) to avoid the Vanguard Street roundabouts.

Although not funded under the Heart of Nelson Strategy, recent cycleway upgrades in Sovereign and Collingwood Streets have greatly improved the connections between the CBD and the Trafalgar 200/Atawhai Shared Pathway.

Heart of Nelson Strategy finalised

Now online at Council website

Following considerable public feedback and ten months of consultation with many community groups and organisations, the final Heart of Nelson strategy was confirmed in September 2009. Click here to read more about the Heart of Nelson Strategy.

Updates will also be published in Live Nelson.

Contact

For more information contact

Martin Workman, Manager Environmental Policy
phone 546 0431

Simon Talbot, Senior Engineering Officer
phone 546 0272

David Jackson, Senior Policy Planner
phone 546 0432

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Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:57:00 +1300

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Heart of Nelson 2010 January newsletter

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:42:00 +1300

Introduction

Welcome to the first Heart of Nelson Strategy Newsletter.

The idea of this newsletter is to update people who have an interest in the Strategy as plans are implemented. There are 104 different projects under the overarching heading of “Heart of Nelson” so you can expect lots of progress once the steering and initial contract relationships are confirmed. You will not see a lot happening on the ground until mid 2010, as there is a lot of detailed planning and ‘ducks to line up’ before the physical roll out can happen.

The newsletter will be quarterly, but if you would like to opt out at any time please reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

Urban Designers appointed

The Isthmus Group has been appointed to the role of Urban Design Consultant for the implementation phase of the project, working with local urban designer/landscape architect, Robin Simpson. They are charged with taking the broader ideas in the Strategy and developing specific designs for individual projects. They’ll pay special attention to form and function and how each project is integrated into an overall design theme and with the existing landscape and infrastructure.

Isthmus has a great track record of work around New Zealand including high profile projects like Kumutoto Wharf on Wellington’s Waterfront, the City Mall in Christchurch and the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway among many others.

Iwi Arts & Design Advisory Panel

A panel of iwi representatives has been set up to provide advice on opportunities to incorporate Maori art and design in projects. This was successfully done on the new Aratuna (Normandy) Bridge on Bridge St.

Arts Consultant appointed

Nelsonian Janet Bathgate has been appointed to the role of Arts Consultant. The appointment of an Arts Consultant, Janet Bathgate, is part of the commitment Council made in the Nelson Tasman Regional Arts Strategy to incorporate an arts focus into Council projects. Janet will focus on identifying opportunities where art can enhance the project design, either on a large or small scale. Janet has worked with both Nelson City Council and Department of Conservation on many artistic and information based projects, such as the interpretation of the art on the Aratuna/Normanby Bridge.

New approach to implementation

Council staff have taken a fresh new approach in implementing the Heart of Nelson Strategy.

Lack of joined up thinking or continuity and consistency have been criticisms levelled at Council projects in the past. In response an Implementation Group has been established that includes key staff from all areas of Council. This group is headed by Martin Workman, Manager Environmental Policy. Martin says “Because the Strategy is so wide ranging, with each project touching on many different departments we are using this approach to ensure the lines of communication are open and we don’t miss any opportunities to tie projects together wherever possible. The aim is to make the implementation run as smoothly as possible.”

Talking to the experts

Council continues to gather ideas and inspiration for future Heart of Nelson projects by listening and talking to a wide range of acknowledged experts. The most recent visit was from Doctor Rodney Tolley, Head of the Centre for Alternative and Sustainable Transport at the University of Staffordshire. Dr Tolley is world renowned for his work in making cities more “walkable”. He also stresses the importance of logical and intuitive city lay-outs to assist with way-finding. He peer reviewed the proposed approach to implement some of these issues from the Strategy and provided lots or valuable feedback to Council staff on several matters.

What is happening next?

Design work is underway on a package of improvements in and around Montgomery Square. This includes upgrading the Bank Lane and Hardy Street entrances, more trees, the new plaza area and other work. This work will include liaison with potentially affected businesses and landowners.

Another major project in the design phase is the widened and improved pathway from the city to the sea, downstream from the Trafalgar St Bridge.

Work is also underway on a ‘wayfinding’ package – this includes a major roll-out of signs and information boards to help visitors and locals find their way around more easily, and to learn more about what they are seeing. This, and the other projects, aim to be in place in time for the influx of visitors for the Rugby World Cup.

The HON Strategy also proposes beautifying the city through a Street Tree Planting programme. This will build on the success of previous planting in the central city, and provide amenity to the city fringe. Areas for planting have been identified on Vanguard Street, Halifax Street, Collingwood Street, Lower Tasman Street and North Road, Bridge Street and Rutherford Street, and a planting programme for these streets will commence in autumn 2010. Further planting programmes were developed in Council parks and reserves, and the first of these was completed in October with 38 Titoki and Totara trees being planted adjacent to the North Road entrance to Neale Park.

Contacts

For more information contact

Martin Workman, Manager Environmental Policy
phone 546 0431

Simon Talbot, Senior Engineering Officer
phone 546 0272

David Jackson, Senior Policy Planner
phone 546 0432

More information

The final strategy was confirmed in September of this year, with the full document available on the Council website www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz (search phrase = HoN strategy). Updates will also be posted on this website and included in Live Nelson.

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