Modern, clean and beach themed seems to be the general consensus of what people want to see the Tauranga City civic centre look like.
Younger members of the community want to see it brightly coloured and be 100 storeys high.
SunLive asked members of the public, both adults and children, what they think the new look of the city centre building should be.
The first phase of public consultation over the civic centre re-development project will begin next week.
'What we're doing is starting engagement on city centre square idea,” says Mayor Stuart Crosby.
Council staff are seeking public input to the question: what is a civic heart?
It can mean many things tangible and otherwise, some of which are on the council short list and some are not, yet.
The ratepayers own the city block bounded by Durham, Wharf, Willow and Hamilton streets.
Most of the existing council office accommodation space is unusable because of leaks and mould. Previous public reports show repair costs and rebuild costs may be comparable, opening the way to rebuild the entire block.
As well as the council offices, councillors are looking at a new civic centre including a library to share stories and knowledge, a museum to celebrate history, a performing arts centre, a city square, conference centre, hotel and accessibility and car parking.
What do you think the new building should look like?
24 comments
I guess.....
Posted on 09-01-2016 13:35 | By groutby
we all rather did know that the current council building would be going anyway the council can,so....how about we relocate/build a useable Council building to elsewhere on the edge of the City perhaps at Baypark, or maybe in the Tauriko Industrial Estate,just whichever is cheaper to build. I would not believe that ratepayers would want a Council Building to be in the most expensive area of the City, when a willing buyer (my hunch is they would be quickly lining up) to buy the existing site to give us (in conjunction with a severe upgrade to Baycourt) the best and most sought after (by concert promoters) area with a desirable Hotel with parking facilities, to really bring the City centre to life!..oh..my apologies, that is a little adventurous of me isn't it, thinking that there was foresight involved :(
Pointless
Posted on 09-01-2016 15:04 | By Jitter
What is the point of making the effort to put forward ideas for the new buildings when we all know from previous experiences that any suggestions made will be completely ignored by both councillors and council staff. They will do exactly as they want and to hell with any suggestions from ratepayers. Who is going to pay for this massive development ? Why is TCC getting involved with a hotel, conference centre and museum ? TCC have said that they would not get involved with a museum. A hotel, museum and conference centre should be funded privately not by ratepayers. Is pressure being put on TCC by the Civic Amenities Group who only have their own interests at heart. Such a development would cost conservatively upwards of 450 million dollars which TCC cannot afford. Councillors should look ahead to the 2016 elections for afterwards they may well be jobless.
Jitter....my hope is......
Posted on 09-01-2016 18:24 | By groutby
that TCC have absolutely nothing to do with a hotel, conference centre or indeed ANYTHING else that will be sucessfull.!! because the city want it to be so, we need to leave it to people who actually know what they are doing and make an absolute success of it..as long as we are restricted by council staff (sadly appointed by ourselves), then we will not get ANY advancement at all for our City. Seriously, unless it is for the good of themselves, the people we appoint haven't got a brain cell between them!... * Councillors involved: Please respond*...we need to know you ARE actually on the side of the City. The outgoing Mayor has a legacy in mind..eh?
@groutby & jitter.....
Posted on 09-01-2016 19:47 | By Jimmy Ehu
absolutely agree with you both!!!
So we are going to have a Museum. Eh
Posted on 09-01-2016 22:55 | By Dazed and Confused
Roll on the election.
All we need
Posted on 10-01-2016 00:43 | By How about this view!
Is an office block where our seat warmers can GET ON AND DO SOME WORK. Good management is invisible, NOT, the centre of attention! Strive for excellence in the core responsibilities of any council, attempt to live WITHIN your budgeted income and STOP INCREASING THE RATES TAKE!
HA HA HA
Posted on 10-01-2016 10:01 | By Colleen Spiro
At least they can say they asked and received public consultation....
Civic amenities
Posted on 10-01-2016 11:04 | By tia
Reading the postings so far, the current elected members are dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. Appears the minority of ratepayers continue to use the 'threat' of a looming election to get their way. It will be great to see 'groutby, jitter, Jimmy ehu, dazed and confuse" have their name on the ballot paper in October and they see how good they are at running a multi-million $$ organisation. It is time you took your head out of the sand and understood the reality in running the business.
@tia....
Posted on 10-01-2016 12:31 | By Jimmy Ehu
so you admit they are running a business, ummm first rule here, is you do not run at a loss!!!, and be aware that it is not so much the councillors I take umbrage with, but more a management level who advises them, how many council staff on more than 100K again???, privatise everything, sell the lot to POT, and let Mr Cairns run it, ooops sorry that business runs at a profit!!!
tia, that's just my point..!
Posted on 10-01-2016 13:01 | By groutby
as Jimmy Ehu has said, business needs to run at a fair and reasonable profit to exist (in the free market), but for a council, money can be taken almost "at will", not earned, continually get more and more in debt, NOT go into receivership such as a privately owned business would, and yet no-one seems to be accountable or indeed has the nads to admit to. I reckon our heads are well and truly "out of the sand", and yet so many aren't...
Correct
Posted on 10-01-2016 13:14 | By Jitter
Jimmy Ehu is right. TCC should be run as a business especially as the funds used are not their own but are supplied by ratepayers. We are the shareholders in a large business and the councillors are the board of directors. However we have virtually no say in how that money is used. Most major decisions are made behind closed doors on the questionable advice of in many cases highly paid employees. A private company with the debt the size of TCC would be in deep trouble. Just look at Solid Energy with a debt of 400 million. Enough said for now.
@ groutby and others
Posted on 10-01-2016 15:07 | By Crash test dummies
Seems awareness of the true nature and behavior of TCC is well and alive in some, the test now is how to get to the masses?
build big
Posted on 10-01-2016 18:55 | By Taurangaboy
lets have a multi level building and lets get all the council office space upstairs allowing ground floor for shops. No excuses here, council MUST leave the ground floor for commercial enterprise. Too many people in council are completely unconcerned about the dying city centre. Council must also leave the idea of a hotel, or conference centre alone and maybe only support private interests to build these. the most council could do for this is to waive SOME fees.Council could also help the city centre to redevelop by allowing second floor office space to be converted into housing, and maybe helping cut through red tape on conversions like that
JAFFA.......
Posted on 10-01-2016 20:28 | By groutby
I'm not sure....anyone have ideas...ANYONE??...
@ Taurangaboy
Posted on 11-01-2016 13:30 | By Crash test dummies
TCC should look at a simple glass box, maybe 5-8 storey's high + two levels underneath for car parking for the TCC inmates. The ground floor + one should be for commercial/retail/office (sell it off), none for TCC except an entry to say level 3. That would use about 20% of the block of land, the rest should be sold off as surplus and leave that to a developer to level and develop. There is no way TCC should get involved in anything else. TCC should not be allowed to "think" about this building, if they do the cost will triple. All that is needed is plain and simple offices, a plain and simple straight line box to house them, that is all. Nothing else need be thought about here
It's all so simple....
Posted on 11-01-2016 17:29 | By Jimmy Ehu
reduce staff by 33% less space required, and savings begin to happen, ooops sorry that's a profitable business model!!!!
There's a thought now Jimmy..
Posted on 11-01-2016 17:56 | By groutby
But that is what a privately run business would need to do in such a loss making situation, TCC could never do that....let's just pay "consultants" 1/2 mill to decide to get rid of a few,..balls that up and then....re-hire them!!...how about that idea? I do however sympathise with many staff there, they are in the dark as much as anyone, however, if we were to get serious on efficiency, well, 'nuf said really........
Modern
Posted on 11-01-2016 18:07 | By TJ
Not a plain square box, something that looks good, that people remember when they come here to visit. We saw some fantastic modern buildings in Melbourne. A refit of Baycourt would be nice as the seats are too close and no leg room, we do need a museum but not in that block. We definitely need a library. I am disappointed by the new trust power building, kinda ugly, and have never liked the art gallery either, it's an ugly building. No more retail shops either, the empty ones all around town need filling first.
@ TJ
Posted on 13-01-2016 15:05 | By Crash test dummies
We really don't need a Museum, they are dead ducks, time wasting, money wasting disasters, look around the world all tare the same. besides it will cost some $25-30m and make a loss annually of some $5-7m also. This is definitely a very bad idea to almost being crazy. If you don't like the Art Gallery then close it, I would agree tot hat in an instant. A plain box is all they need, job done, finished and no fancy mega cost disaster like the last version. I see nothing of value to what you have said, all the nice to haves but no answers about how to pay the cost and the losses annually without all the debt falling on ratepayers again.
@ TJ
Posted on 13-01-2016 15:07 | By Crash test dummies
Baycourt, yeah maybe a bit tired but really do you want to let TCC staff in there and have a spend up? I would see them as spending millions for no real change as usual.
Lower rates and debt
Posted on 15-01-2016 16:48 | By Floyd
Baypark area is a brilliant idea as facilities already there are underutilised during the day. Barkes corner would also work move in with WBOPDC and share services. Many council employees could work from home using technology and be paid in relation to productivity. The existing buildings could be demolished and or refurbished for a university campus thus bringing life to the city centre. This is an opportunity for Tauranga City Council to cut costs reduce debt as well as reduce rates. Have they the gumption?
Transparency where is it people
Posted on 18-01-2016 09:07 | By CONDOR
Where is the full report on the existing Council Chambers is there something to hide- like sheeting home responsibility and costs to remedy.?
BAY PARK AREA IS THE MOST CENTRAL
Posted on 19-01-2016 12:10 | By Watcher 1
I fully agree, why burden T.C.C. ratepayers with more debt by rebuilding on the current site. Bay Park area is the most central for ALL TCC ratepayers, easy to get too and in and out of as well plus it has a HUGE sealed carparking under used during the day which could be utilized better. Perhaps Council could take over the existing Trustpower site if available as well. The Councils current site should be sold off to repay debt. Roll on the next election.
Cancer
Posted on 31-01-2016 17:09 | By Kenworthlogger
People the next election is coming up soon. We need to have another clean sweep of councilors to get rid of this cancer that is spreading in council. Remember this at the next election people.
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