Residents are being asked for feedback on three concepts for a redesign of Te Puke's Mainstreet.
The Western Bay of Plenty District Council development engineering manager, Peter Clark, says the Te Puke Main Street Upgrade Project is about creating a high quality, robust and attractive town centre that works well for both pedestrians and road users.
Artist's impression of the upgrade. Photo: YouTube.
'This is an opportunity to upgrade the town centre and change it from a place used as a through route, to a destination.
'We can do this by making changes to pedestrian safety, parking access, traffic flow, speed restrictions and the landscaping and physical environment.”
The upgrade is a result of Council taking ownership of the newly named Te Puke Highway, previously State Highway 2, from the New Zealand Transport Agency following the opening of the Tauranga Eastern Link highway in after the Tauranga Eastern Link opened in August this year.
'As part of the handover, NZTA agreed to fund the upgrade works – so long as the work is completed by 30 June, 2017,” says Peter.
Three initial design options for the town centre have been designed by Boffa Miskell, using the same key designer from the Te Puke Walkway Project linking the main street with the Park.
An online site has been created for people to view and share feedback on the design options. They are also encouraged to take a very short survey asking what features people value in a town centre.
Anyone can view the options and have their say at The Western Bay of Plenty website until the end of January, 2016.
To view the concepts in detail, they are available in hard copy at Te Puke Library.
22 comments
Carcass
Posted on 21-12-2015 19:45 | By Carcass
It is not much use if there is no businesses left in town.The issue has to be driven by business people not council staff or Community Board.Council only plays a support roll.People who don' live in the town have little or no knowledge of that community
And don't
Posted on 21-12-2015 20:35 | By The Caveman
make it difficult to drive through the town OR stop at the shops, otherwise the residents in the surrounding area will GO ELSEWHERE to shop. Thus the town WILL DIE
OH and while I look at it
Posted on 21-12-2015 20:43 | By The Caveman
Artist's impression - two cars !!!! and a few walkers - GET REAL - the majority of Te Puke residents DRIVE, especially when you take into account surrounding RUAL farming areas. (Does the town have a major BUS service - NO NO NO. So your shoppers USE CARS. Shut them out and your town is DEAD. Where do these Artist's get their ideas from - clearly this one had NOT spent a week in Te puke looking ate the REAL side of life............
NZTA, blackmail?
Posted on 21-12-2015 21:54 | By Murray.Guy
dont kid yourself
Posted on 22-12-2015 09:52 | By Bop man
This town will always be a through road as long as there is a toll on the new highway. The trucks will keep rumbling through here. Simple why pay for a road that is going to cut into your profit when there is a free alternative.
Don't touch those trees !!!
Posted on 22-12-2015 10:45 | By Mackka
We went to Te Puke yesterday - to shop and get away from the Tauranga crowds. The main attraction of Te Puke is that it is a small country town with easy parking, friendly people and those magnificent native, historic trees gracing the main street are its crowning glory! It would be criminal to tear out the trees and create another sterile concrete jungle! - why are they not on a protected tree register?? The town has character and a charm all of its own! The population does not warrant spending a fortune on a design that will keep people away. It would be the beginning of the end for Te Puke.
Leaves the 2 lanes as they are.
Posted on 22-12-2015 11:04 | By Watcher 1
Yes, it looks as if the so called Artists have not spent a hour let alone a day or more observing the traffic, TYPES of vehicles currently and in the Future travelling through TePuke. Very Large Trucks are and will continue to use the existing roads to travel through Te Puke so they so more roundabouts, single one way roads just WILL NOT WORK. Examples are Trucks carrying Kiwifruit both to and from TePuke Packhouses, Trucks carting Logs and sawn Timber to and from Pukepine, Trucks carting Roading metal from the Quarry East, ALL these are and will still have to go through the TePuke Main Street, they don't want detours around the side streets as even doing that will increase the chance of accidents and not reduce them. To Beautify Te Puke increase the plantings and gardens along the Roads centre maybe, allow a Coffee Cart.
Simple answer
Posted on 22-12-2015 11:06 | By Mackka
I thought the toll road was built to take the heavy traffic away from Te Puke's main street? The answer is simple - put a ban on trucks over a certain size and tonnage using the old highway! The 'upgrade' is a total waste of money! More be it a 'downgrade' which would rip the heart out of the charming rural town!
seesee
Posted on 22-12-2015 11:51 | By SeeSee
My thoughts on these proposed changes is that it will only ruin the infrastructure that is already present. Te-Puke is a rural based town, and has always been. A town that makes one proud to reside in. leave it alone, as is. Any changes such as prosed will only destroy it. If there is money to be spent, then get the NZTA to re construct the road that they made one huge mess of. That is., from Collins Lane through to the Manoeka road. It is a patched up botch up, that will only cost ratepayers a lot of money in the future
Mmmmm ...
Posted on 22-12-2015 11:52 | By Mackka
Watcher 1 - I didn't think of the necessity for those particular trucks to continue using the road. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with leaving it as it is. A speed restriction of 30kms - if not already in place, would suffice, as it works well at the Mount.
Think Hard before you Comment?
Posted on 22-12-2015 12:45 | By Watcher 1
Comments like eg BY Mackka and others on BANNING HEAVY TRUCKS may kill TePuke and may even affect the areas employment. Example, Getting Logs and Wood into and out of The Pukepine Sawmill, Kiwifruit to and from the many central Packhouses, Metal for the roads East of TePuke. There is NO other way for large trucks to use.
Artist?
Posted on 22-12-2015 13:01 | By maildrop
That has to be one of the worst impressions I have ever seen. They're supposed to sell a dream of what a dreary little town could become, even though any sane person knows it's nonsense. Build it and they won't come.
Mess?
Posted on 22-12-2015 13:49 | By Crash test dummies
Looks bad, will be worse once the officials get the hand on the cheque book and run a muck up the road. Like TCC and the waterfront (a concreted beach front) there is a gap between the aim and what could be achieved.
What?
Posted on 23-12-2015 16:33 | By Kenworthlogger
Mackka the toll road was built for all vehicle to bypass Te Puke not just for trucks. If you ban heavy vehicle from Te Puke how do you propose to get the logs to Pukepine saw mill? What about the heavy vehicle weigh bridge? Are you going to pay the owner of it to have it relocated elsewhere or do you expect him to walk away from his huge investment empty handed? You really need to think before you tyoe mate. I totally agree with you Maildrop. That is the worst artist impression i have ever seen aswel lol.
Lots of negativity
Posted on 25-12-2015 19:54 | By Positive attitude
My goodness what a bunch of negative nay Sayers in Te Puke. How bad can a bit of investment and improvement in the Main Street of town be. The Heritage plaza project looks pretty good to me so why would the Main Street upgrade be any worse. The same company is responsible for the many successful redevelopments all over NZ. Not sure how you all manage to judge things from one single image, how about looking at the full proposal in depth and try being a bit positive. By the way the trees are staying and the trucks can still pass through town. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.
Option 3
Posted on 27-12-2015 08:49 | By Ellajj
I like option 3 the best. Make the town easy to park and safer roads and the people will come.
There is artistic licence and then there is make believe!!
Posted on 27-12-2015 14:07 | By ROCCO
For heavens sake get real the design shown is devoid of trees and the buildings look like low slung one dimensional industrial sheds.This is not reality so show the trees and some normal buildings to get some true perspective of what it would look like for better or worse.
Look at the full proposal
Posted on 27-12-2015 14:52 | By Positive attitude
Rocco take a look at the Council website to see the full proposal. Don't get fixated on this one image taken as a still off the You Tube video clip.
Flying kites
Posted on 28-12-2015 09:35 | By ROCCO
@Positive Attitude, mmmmm Yes I have already seen the Council website with 3 options looking a little like airport runways and really other than vague parking layouts doesn't assist much to reach any conclusion.
Artists impression
Posted on 31-12-2015 08:58 | By Kenworthlogger
Looks like they did an artistic impression of Canberra ACT not Te Puke. Who said disagreeing is negative? Debate is healthy!
@ Kenworthlogger
Posted on 05-01-2016 12:03 | By Crash test dummies
Debate is certainly healthy, some on each side is sure to happen and is good. They get a little unhappy about genuine and realistic criticism when they don't have an answer left to defend the silly schemes here. I guess WBOP now realise the rates collected in Te Puke are going to drop as the town readjusts itself as a result of the bypass and the sure to happen affect of less trade in town. What else is left to explain except to say that this is in effect throwing good money after bad. Need proof, go visit Putaruru, dead and gone already, the fate looks to be the same.
Recommndation
Posted on 06-01-2016 10:13 | By Crash test dummies
Move to Paegaroa as its future looks more promising.
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