Streamside Work Kicks Off First Stage of City Centre Revitalisation

Changes taking place by the streamside on Lyttelton Ave in Porirua City Centre over the next couple of months are paving the way for the development of the city’s new streamside plaza.

The streamside plaza is stage one of Porirua City Council’s City Centre Revitalisation redevelopment.

Porirua City Mayor Nick Leggett says development of the streamside plaza is pivotal to plans to revitalise the city centre.

“The plaza will connect to the railway station, the harbour, the new entrance to North City Shopping Centre and back through to Cobham Court. It will be clear to people they have found the centre of town and it will be clear how to find their way around from there. It is being designed to attract food and beverage outlets to locate streamside and take advantage of the increased hustle and bustle the redevelopment will bring.

“We’d envisage coffee carts and other mobile food outlets down by the stream. Office workers will be able to grab some lunch and dangle their feet in the water. Alternatively people can enjoy a more upmarket dining experience, and take time to appreciate the art,” says Mayor Leggett.

“In order to help create this streamside plaza there’s a few things the Council needs to put in place first and that’s what we are doing now.”

The following work will cost $210,000, begin in April and is expected to be completed before the end of June:

• Timber wall panels installed around the existing pump station and transformer buildings to screen these from the streamside plaza area
• Removal of the carpark opposite the bus shelters in Lyttelton Avenue and replace it with chip seal to produce a zone for pedestrian use that will eventually link into being part of the plaza
• Back lit information board to provide information on the project, hardstand area, potable water and electricity incorporated into the removed carpark to make the area attractive to mobile food outlets
• Improving pedestrian access around the area with widening the footpath and installing better lighting
• Bollards to block off the entrance to the car park behind No 2 Lyttelton Avenue. This is a service area for the buildings not a public car park.

Jonathan Custance, a Spatial Designer and member of the City Development Sub-committee, which is overseeing the revitalisation project, says this is a small package of work that will get the ball rolling and will help people became aware and start using this important future area.

“It’s about improving the pedestrian flows within the city and turning the city around to link with the waterways without reworking existing buildings and infrastructure. Future new buildings will start accelerating this shift but it’s about evolution to a future masterplan not revolution.”

Mr Custance says improving pedestrian and cycle access into and around the city as well as integrating public transport more visibly are also key strategies in the revitalisation project.

ENDS

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