One vision for a new Tauranga civic heart being presented to councillors involves removing vehicle traffic from the civic heart.
The plan also involves moving the council and library down to straddle The Strand/McLean Street intersection.
A plan is being presented to council to relocate the library and council officers to the corner of McLean Street and The Strand. Image: Google Maps.
Architectural designer Phil Green is the spokesman for a group including architect Jason Benton, a landscape designer, graphic designer and artist.
It's a design looking 50 years ahead, says Phil, and involves closing a large area of the city from Wharf Street to Harington Street, including Willow and Durham Streets, to vehicle traffic.
'As much as anything I guess the plan is to generate discussion, to get people thinking about, should it be the status quo?” says Jason Benton.
'Should it be there? Should it be somewhere else? It's to open your eyes up to what the possibilities are, rather than rolling with what exists.”
A talking point is the plan's opening up Red Square to what it used to be, part of Spring Street, says Phil.
'Getting rid of Red Square guarantees a talking point. Is it worth saving?
'You put a building in a particular place, what happens to the space around that building? There's a lot of talk about some of the new council buildings, should it stay where it is or go somewhere else.
'I liken it to the fact that when you throw a pebble into a pond to get a ripple effect. It is exactly the same thing. Our plan is throwing the pebble out there and if it causes discussion that is exactly what is needed.”
It's a design looking 50 years ahead, says Phil, and involves closing a large area of the city from Wharf Street to Harrington Street, including Willow and Durham streets, to vehicle traffic.
The waterfront development continues with additional work enabled round Dive Crescent, where the road will be moved over against the railway line, making space for more waterside development between Bobby's Fresh fish Market and Beacon Services.
A museum is to be terraced up over the railway to the gardens beside Cliff Road.
The plan is a catalyst to start people thinking about the possibilities, says Phil.
It's looking at a future population of about 10,000 people living in and around the CBD.
A concept drawing of the proposed new civic heart.
28 comments
Kill Tauranga
Posted on 17-03-2016 06:53 | By The umpire
People avoid shopping in Tauranga now, this should kill it once and for all.
Here's another idea
Posted on 17-03-2016 08:05 | By The Sage
Why not close the CBD altogether. Remove the cars and the people. What a ludicrous idea that only an out of touch bureaucrat could come up with.
white elephant
Posted on 17-03-2016 08:31 | By hapukafin
traffic needs direct route through and into CBD not have roads closed off and nowhere to park.whats going to be the attraction for pedestrians there and why would I go there?Satellite shopping free parking is the place to go,anything administrative can be done online.
@ The umpire
Posted on 17-03-2016 08:40 | By earlybird
It's easy to criticize, so please tell us what your plan is? I'd love to know.
I agree with By The Sage
Posted on 17-03-2016 09:04 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
How much did all these concept drawings cost,i know that the big model of harbour bridge cost approx $17,000 after modifying it,wonder did a councillor draw this or a(CON) sultant draw it,poor old Strand rooted up relaid,all parking taken away, it use to be awesome down there now its all about playgrounds,etc and staff run the TCC there is NO MANAGEMENT,Tauranga is going like Townsville GHOST town big MALLS dark and Dingy, gone further out to more spacious Satellite shopping, to many people having a say in TCC,anyway must be STRESSFULL being a shop owner in there TGA parking wardens my gosh just to much, nobody is happy anymore,well im going back to my news paper and cardboard ground sheet on 200 acres and rest now,10-4 out Thankyou SunLive NO1 in the Bay
Out of touch with reality
Posted on 17-03-2016 09:30 | By CC8
These guys are not planners they are wishful thinking manipulators. They look at what failed last time some overeducated , yet impractical "expert" straight out of university made a stab in the dark. Then they try to counter the reaction from that with yet another attempt at manipulating PEOPLE. When will these fools realise, you cannot force people's behaviour. Red square is a prime example, in about 1976 they turned Spring street into Red square, at the time there were large national chain stores and insurance companies and other large succesful businesses there....THEY ARE ALL GONE and now the planners are proposing to remove RED SQUARE....the point is , a small "pedestrian only" project has failed..so now they want to make half the town a pedestrian mall. WHICH WON'T WORK,JUST BLOODY BRILLIANT!
Hmmmm
Posted on 17-03-2016 09:38 | By How about this view!
I get the impression that SOME have forgotten what their legs are for, and would like nothing better than to have drive-through shopping. Maybe the idea of parking in one of the parking buildings is an alien concept or using the bus as a park and ride option as I do. However, I have thought for quite a while now that the idea of closing off some streets and encouraging a "Market day" with street stalls, food and entertainment two or three days a week, might revitalise and enhance the local environment. Blocking Devonport Rd from Elizabeth St to the Strand would be where I would start.... Some people need to travel more to get an idea of what can work really well.
Time
Posted on 17-03-2016 09:44 | By Capt_Kaveman
the Strand and the bus area on Willow st were one way
brain fart
Posted on 17-03-2016 09:48 | By CC8
Have these clowns even thought about how businesses and indeed the 10000 residents will get their supplies and sold items in and out of this huge area. Where will 10000 residents park their vehicles, or is it going to be a special area for people who do not own a car...still how will they move their possessions in and out when they move house. What about the trash? No streets? How will emergency vehicles cope? Its typical pie in the sky . Move the council to Te Maunga and sell the land for something useful.
Buildings do not make the CBD
Posted on 17-03-2016 10:10 | By tabatha
People like Phil Green seem to make out that buildings make the CBD, but unfortunaetly without people there is no CBD. As I said in another post People make the CBD and there needs to be things happening not big buildings that house offices. Offices are workers crates and all they want is food and Tauranga Strand has a lot of these already, but what is needed is something to bring people to the town.
Turn out the lights
Posted on 17-03-2016 10:59 | By The Sage
.....Elvis has left the building. If the Wharf Street fiasco is any indication of what is to come, we could rename the CBD Bedrock and all drive pedal cars. Yaaba Dabba Doo.
CBD
Posted on 17-03-2016 12:14 | By squeaky
will end up out at the Lakes eventually. At least there will be decent access and parking there, free.
Earlybird, my first plan
Posted on 17-03-2016 12:15 | By Murray.Guy
Earlybird, my first plan, have the discussion, starting from a clean sheet of paper, no secret meetings, to ask a few critical questions of the community who seems to end up doing all the paying for very little benefit. 1) Is the single focus CBD of yesteryear still relevant for a city that has multiple business / shopping precincts? 2) Is it a function of rates to subsidize a CBD at the cost of competing shopping/business precincts? 3)Where reasonably possible should ALL ratepayers, residents, business and shopping precincts be treated equally by our City Council.
Close the strand
Posted on 17-03-2016 12:46 | By Bop man
I am all for the strand being closed to all through traffic, there is no need to drive through there, Close wharf street as well, Leave willow as the through street.
Great Comments, but are we sending to deaf ears?
Posted on 17-03-2016 13:09 | By tabatha
Great comments showing up, but my question is are we talking, writing to people with a hearing problem? I have just finished dealing with Spark with operators who do not listen and I strongly suspect this is the age of quetion 23 or answer 24 is how to solve problems when really people need to think outside the box, listen digest and put a thought out and then get reaction but when people suggest they are do not have the so called education and courses to challenge these so called experts, who really are "x= unknown spert something that comes out of hose under pressure." For goodness sake start thinking logically and try ways to get people into the CBD before spending money on grandiose ideas.
So Where
Posted on 17-03-2016 13:28 | By Merlin
So where is all the parking from Willow,Durham,Harrington,and Wharf streets going to go .Parking is at a premium now.Roll on local body elections we should replace the whole council with fresh ones.
Overit
Posted on 17-03-2016 13:35 | By overit
Not that I have read it here, but an elderly friend said they were thinking of putting the Bus Stations up on Cameron Rd. She said it would stop her from coming into the City as it would be too far for her to walk, especially going back going up the hill. She does not drive and has to come into the City for eye and audio appointments. Planners please think of the elderly!
@fenderbender
Posted on 17-03-2016 17:35 | By Taffy
Agree with your comments re car parking.As far as replacing the lot the theory is fine but in practice?? We got rid of quite a few last time but I suspect the vast majority of encumbents will stand again so we have to wait until the nominations are announced nearer the time for fresh people.However based on the verbal diatribe that features on Sun Live concerning anything involved with TCC why in hell would you bother as no matter what the decision it always seems to be the incorrect one according to some negative commentators.Hpoe some them put forward their names.
Years behind as usual
Posted on 17-03-2016 18:03 | By astex
Just when other cities and towns have realized over the last ten years that pedestrian areas kill CBD's,and re-opened them to traffic, this bunch decide to try the failed ideas of years ago. Brilliant!
@ Overit
Posted on 17-03-2016 22:28 | By Crash test dummies
Yes that is the plan, funny thing that is what many said in the planning and consent process. Now after having spent the money, they are now going to bulldoze the that and have another go at it ... hopefully a little better than last time.
@ Taffy
Posted on 18-03-2016 13:32 | By Crash test dummies
Perhaps you could enlighten us all on something, perhaps you could list the things that TCC has got right? You know for the wider community, the betterment of all of the community, not just a select few. Give me the list ... I will then be able to tell you the facts on why they each are bad for the ratepayer.
@Jaffa
Posted on 18-03-2016 21:15 | By Taffy
Where in my previous comment did I say what TCC had done right? What I did say was why anyone would want to stand for council based on comments I read on Sunlive however if that is incorrect I stand corrected. In conclusion Jaffa I look forward to seeing your name on the list of nominations for this years TCC elections.
As a business owner
Posted on 19-03-2016 17:30 | By Accountable
It is heart warming to know there are many thinking and knowledgeable people who understand the causes of the destruction of the CBD. As I continually say the business owners and stakeholders are not responsible for the steady demise of the CBD and the blame lies entirely with the Council planners and the ill-informed and lazy Councillors of the past.These Council planners are still doing their best to continue down the path of destruction with the resulting increasing of empty business premises. The people most responsible are the heads of planning and transport along with the CEO of Priority One. These people should be asked to stand aside and the Council should employ people who have the experience to handle such an important job. Murray Guy has asked some questions but he is one of the people I hold responsible for the mess and yes Council is responsible.
Rail link extension along Elizabeth St
Posted on 19-03-2016 17:50 | By marshamaxw
The alternative is shared space like they have in europe. The only thing that people are saying criticising the idea is that we need more cars into the CBD but the model for development which is geared towards the automobile, has killed the cbd . At 5:30 everything goes dead in the CBD. The centre needs people living there to create life. Mixed used development is the solution to the current model,single density development is creating the sprawl which is not substainable for Tauranga and which is why the city is so boring. An extension of the railway from where it joins the CBD going up the hill and across along Elizabeth and then north along the expressway to join the existing rail.It's simple to build gauge from the harbour level to Elizabeth St.Continuing a loop rail connecting PyesPa, TePuna back to existing line at Bethlehem
@ marshamaxw
Posted on 19-03-2016 22:55 | By Crash test dummies
Of course a CBD needs people, but if you can not get them there in daylight, don't like your chances after dark. The real issue is that there is just not enough parking available to get enough shoppers in there. No shoppers, means no sales, no shop, no staff and no jobs there. the developers/owners in the CBD begged TCC to allow them to be exempt from parking requirements, then begged them to not to pay when not enough. result now is a complete mess and no money to pay to fix it DUH!!!!
Jaffa
Posted on 20-03-2016 10:02 | By Accountable
the developers/owners in the CBD begged TCC to allow them to be exempt from parking requirements, then begged them to not to pay when not enough. result now is a complete mess and no money to pay to fix it DUH!!!! I agree with most of your comment but please explain this last sentence?
Public transport part of the bigger contributor to CBD death
Posted on 21-03-2016 07:57 | By marshamaxw
Tower building like the Hancock building in Michigan are the way of the future,with 25,000 people living or working in the Hancock building. These building would have shops at street level like France does.We need to go up to stop more urban sprawlre killing CBD.In it can happen by building mixed use highris inner city housing.Councils will need to findnew means to find new revenue. We cannot return to the kind of 'High Street' shopping that was there 35 years ago, intermediation of retail has made that gone by the by. Creating a shopping environment like Cuba St is possible but not compete with Bayfair.Get rid of a big box stores. Create a space and move all Historic Village into a precinct is one idea.We should discourage people making long trips,shop local instead of going to Town. Encouraging public transport. The transport network would not be centralised like Auckland
@ marshamaxw
Posted on 27-03-2016 14:50 | By Crash test dummies
Bit late I think, they have killed off the CBD already, at least as near as to it without not quite taken away the last gasp.
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