What’s this project about?
Making Places plays an important role to maximise the potential of our central business district CBD, by making it more attractive to businesses and residents. It will give developers and our community a strong direction to drive vibrancy and economic growth.
Our city faces future challenges such as an ageing population, low population increases and modest economic growth. Making Places can help to reverse these trends by attracting, growing, and retaining talent that will support creativity, productivity, and prosperity for the city.
What are our priorities?
In early 2009, a series of community workshops, focus groups and public meetings highlighted these priorities:
- Establishing a connection with the river
- Developing and maintaining a sustainable heart for the city
- Creating a place of cultural, social and economic vitality
- Offering a unique place that helps build local identity, and around things such as ‘family’
Making Places involves 200 potential projects that may take place over the next 20 years.
How do I find out more about the project?
You can read our guiding documents:
CBD Making Places report (PDF 107Kb)
CBD 2030 vision (PDF 2Mb)
What’s happening now with our key projects?
We have four key projects that have been identified as vital to bringing the CBD Vision 2030 to life.
Creating ‘Civic Square’ in front of The Dowse
What’s happening now?
Construction is well under way. A new car park has been created as well as an access lane directly outside The Dowse Art Museum.
The next step is for existing parking directly opposite The Dowse to be replaced with landscaping to form the square. It'll feature public art, landscaping, new lighting, a wetland area, furniture, and activity spaces.
The E Tu Hutt Public Arts Trust are creating a sculpture to sit atop an artesian water bore, similar to the popular Te Puni Wai Ora spring at Buick Street, Petone.
Completion of Civic Square is programmed for mid 2012.
This enhanced outdoor space will be the beginning of an arts and culture based precinct in the city, hosting family-based and arts-related events that will complement The Dowse.
Artists impressions of The Square
Click on an image to see a larger view.
Establishing a riverside promenade
Future flood protection work by Wellington Regional Council will raise the stop bank along Daly Street by at least one metre.
We're working with the Greater Wellington Regional Council to integrate our city’s vision with their planned floodplain and stopbank works in the CBD. This means building a promenade to better connect the CBD to the river, and in order to support residential, social and economic activity on or near the riverbanks.
The regional council will start their design work for these stopbanks in 2012 and they expect to start construction in 2015 – 2016.
A new civic heart in southern High Street
By law the current Council building in Laings Road needs to be earthquake strengthened, and $23 million is allocated to complete this by 2018.
We are considering the best use of this funding and the possible relocation of our administration offices into the CBD. This could create a ‘new civic precinct’ to breathe life and sustainable vibrancy into the CBD with possibilities for:
- connecting the CBD to the river and possible promenade,
- a new civic square,
- a new and fully functional library,
- a community services hub,
- mixed-use development including retail, commerce, and residential.
What’s happening?
Recent earthquake activity in Canterbury and what this may mean for earthquake strengthening requirements across New Zealand has placed some uncertainty over how we'll strengthen the council administration building on Laings Road. Pending any possible changes to the Building Act, we're yet to finaise plans.
$150,000 has also been allocated to investigate earthquake strengthening options in 2011/12. We're looking to to begin design and construction as soon as we can within the next two years.
Understanding CBD transport and car parking
By modelling transport and parking options we can understand the future needs for walking, cycling, public transport, motor vehicle movement, and car parking.
A base computer model has been set up and we are now able to consider the effects of future projects in the CBD.
How you can get involved?
We’re always seeking community input for our Making Places projects through your feedback to the annual plan each year.
We also seek input and advice from the Making Places Reference Group which consists of a diverse range of people who represent the community. The group has representatives of; tangata whenua, younger people, families, older people, disabled people, organisations such as Rotary, retail, business, environmental groups, arts/music/culture, Police, Public Health, and residents.
Getting in touch
For more information about any of these projects please get in touch with us.