Dunedin (Thursday, 6 April 2023) – Improving accessibility at Puketeraki Maara Kai, Corstorphine Community Hub and the Tomahawk-Smaills Beach Care Trust’s nursery are three projects to benefit from the re-use of old pavers from Ōtepoti Dunedin’s main street.

As part of the Dunedin City Council’s Retail Quarter upgrade underway, pavers in George Street are being progressively replaced.

DCC Central City Plan Project Director Glen Hazelton says that rather than disposing of the old pavers, the DCC is providing them to groups and residents to use in projects which have positive community and/or environmental outcomes.

“We’re delighted to have been able to give out 32 pallets – about 16,000 pavers in total – to 14 different groups through an initial round of applications,” Dr Hazelton says.

“Recipients ranged from sports clubs and community hubs, through to health and social support services and more. It’s great to see these old pavers getting a new ‘Totally Georgeous’ lease of life.”

Isaac Construction – DCC’s construction partner on the Retail Quarter upgrade – has also come to the party by offering free labour and assisting with site works on several of the projects which have received pavers to date. The projects Isaac is providing additional support to are:

• Puketeraki Maara Kai – Pavers have been installed to create a more accessible space in the Maara Kai (food garden). This will allow better access to raised garden beds. An Isaac crew recently visited the Maara Kai to prepare the site, with in-kind assistance from Kennards Hire, Cargill Contracting, while Dunedin Hiab and Crane Hire is volunteering its truck and time to drop off pallets to all the groups.
• Tomahawk-Smaills Beach Care Trust – Pavers will be installed at the Trust’s nursery to improve accessibility. The nursery is the hub of the Trust’s large volunteer base, which works hard to achieve positive environmental and community outcomes (e.g., by planting at least 2500 native plants each year). Isaac will help install the pavers there later this month.
• Corstorphine Community Hub – Pavers will be used to help landscape the Hub’s community garden and surrounding area for seating. Wheelchair users visit the garden, which can be boggy at times. Paving will also be used to lead to a memorial bench, making the area safer for users. Isaac will help install the pavers there later this month.

Isaac Chief Executive Jeremy Dixon says, “While all the groups which received pavers are doing fantastic work in the community, we considered that these three projects strongly aligned with our company’s values. We’re therefore delighted to have been able to reach out, provide further assistance and ultimately contribute back to the community in this way.”

Dr Hazelton says the DCC is now accepting further applications for positive re-use of pavers. More information and an application form are online at www.dunedin.govt.nz/totallygeorgeous.

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