Contractors are preparing to clear buildings on the corner of The Strand and McAlister Street as the next step in the strategic site’s use as part of the regeneration of the Whakatāne CBD.
The site will be fenced off from early next week to allow the work to take place. For safety reasons, and as part of the traffic management required, some parking spaces in and around the work site will be temporarily unavailable as the demolition proceeds. Pedestrians will be detoured around the site.
Once the site is cleared the vacant space will be marked and used for temporary car parking, with more than 50 extra parking spaces expected to be created. This work is due to begin in December.
Two of the former Wally Sutherland buildings on the site need to be demolished due to health and safety concerns. Others on the site will continue to be tenanted. Tenants in the remaining Council buildings have been advised of the upcoming works.
While it is still proposed that the whole site is redeveloped, work needs to be completed to identify the best future uses of the site. Ideas captured through a recent town centre engagement process will help to develop a Reference Plan for the CBD that will inform this.
Council General Manager Strategy and Transformation Julie Gardyne says the removal of the buildings is another step along the regeneration pathway.
“The purchase of this land last year was specifically made by Council to enable future redevelopment as part of the Whakatāne regeneration programme,” she says.
Demolition is also providing work for contractors as the District recovers from the ongoing economic impacts of Covid-19.
Council purchased the buildings, which were formerly occupied and owned by Mr Wally Sutherland, in July 2019. The land was owned by Council and Mr Sutherland had leased the land for more than sixty years to run his motor vehicle trade business.
The demolition of the corner buildings and reinstatement of the site will also begin a refresh of one of the key entrance points to the town centre. Further redevelopment through the suite of regeneration projects underway will follow in due course.