Art bridge a feature of Albany Lakes

North Shore City Council is asking for feedback on two concept designs for a bridge over Albany Lakes, in the soon-to-be developed Albany Lakes Reserve.

The lakes are a feature of the 6ha park at the centre of Albany, and also function as stormwater ponds.

North Shore City parks projects co-ordinator, Victoria Sutherland, says construction of what is intended to become the area's civic centre will begin before Christmas.

"It will be a great open space for the enjoyment of people who live and work nearby, in a rapidly growing area surrounded by a mix of residential and commercial development."

Albany Lakes make up two thirds of the reserve, and work will soon begin to enlarge and reshape the existing stormwater ponds to create the lakes.

North Shore City's water services infrastructure planning manager, Jan Heijs, says the earthworks will cost between $2.7m and $3.4m, and could take up to six months.

"The ponds will still function exactly as they have been, settling sediment and controlling downstream flooding and stream erosion created by run-off during heavy weather," he says.

"But they will look like lakes rather than sedimentation ponds, with hard edges created by a kind of sandbag so the water laps at the edge."

The volume of water in the lakes is approximately 27,000 cubic metres, or about nine Olympic-size swimming pools. The surface area is approximately 19,000 square metres, or almost two and a half rugby football fields.

The bridge that people are being asked to comment on concept designs for will be a feature over the weir that separates the upper and lower lakes.

Five artists were initially invited to submit concept designs for the bridge and a judging panel - which included councillors, an architect and a landscape architect - narrowed the selection to two.

"The concept designs take into account the landscape theme of Albany Lakes Reserve, which is a timeline from pre-settlement into the future, and the 40 to 60 metre long bridge will connect the two major squares within the reserve," says Victoria Sutherland.

The consultation period on the bridge concepts is open from Monday, August 14 to Monday, September 4, 2006. People can find out more and have their say by visiting any North Shore library or area office, online at www.northshorecity.govt.nz, or by using the TouchPoll screen survey at the entrance of Pak 'n Save in Albany.

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