A community workshop to gather feedback about temporary activations and installations in Kākahoroa Drive and the Whakatāne CBD will inform the next phase of the Innovating Streets project.
The workshop, organised by Whakatāne District Council, included participants representing a range of ages, locations, interest groups and backgrounds in the community, and built on previous consultation carried out last year.
Workshop facilitator, Joe Metcalfe, says he was impressed by the willingness of the participants to reach consensus on outcomes that will benefit the community as a whole.
“Once we explained the background of the project and how any changes would be short-term, there was some excellent discussion and agreement,” he says. “People were excited about the prospect of community events and temporary infrastructure that will really enhance the use of our existing spaces.”
Innovating Streets is a Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) initiative that provides funding for communities to co-design low-cost, temporary improvements to local road spaces. Whakatāne District Council was successful in its application to secure $494,000 specifically for the Kākahoroa Drive and the Whakatāne CBD, as well as separate funding for Kopeopeo and the Wairaka neighbourhood. One of the main criteria of the funding is that it must be spent by 30 June 2021.
Mr Metcalfe says the relatively short timeframes mean the process is fast-paced and adaptable, but also has the advantage of ensuring people can see physical changes, as a result of their feedback, quickly.
“We’ve got the green light from this group to produce at least two events in the Whakatāne CBD during March and April, which will be a real drawcard for a wide range of people from our community and demonstrate ways of making our town centre more lively and people-focused,” he explains. “Other ideas included trials to better connect the CBD to the river via Wharaurangi, and creating community spaces and resources that can be used every day or for community events. We’ll check-in with smaller groups from the workshop along the way to ensure improvements align with the majority’s vision.”
Before any changes are implemented, consultation with iwi and hapū representatives will explore how best to incorporate appropriate cultural elements into the planned events and infrastructure.
Invitations to attend the workshop were sent to those previously engaged through the Council’s consultation platform, Kōrero Mai. Fifty-five people registered interest in attending, in addition to the seven nominees from EPIC and the Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce. Using an anonymous selection process, 20 people were contacted to confirm their attendance.
Mr Metcalfe says that initiatives like this in other areas around the country, and internationally, have shown that what might be considered minor changes, can have a significant impact on people’s experience of a space.
“Sometimes it’s as simple as installing picnic tables on an existing berm, or painting pedestrian-friendly crossings through a car park. These small changes can up to something much more,” he describes. “It’s an exciting opportunity to trial things to see what works and what doesn’t. And at the end of the day, if something doesn’t work, we’ll make sure any infrastructure will be reused within our district to reduce waste.”
Innovating Streets differs to Te Ara Hou, the partnership between Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Whakatāne District Council. Te Ara Hou will use funding from the Provincial Growth Fund to make permanent changes to revitalise the Whakatāne town centre and riverfront area. Further consultation is required before any decisions are made about what those changes will be.