Canopy poles being removed soon
The construction of the second phase of Porirua’s $21 million city centre revitalisation could get under way in July.
The first change the public can expect is the removal of the white poles that held up the canopies.
Costing about $100,000, this is expected to take place this month or in March. The canopies themselves were removed in January 2014.
By mid-year the tendering process will have started for the public space works, including new children’s play areas, a water feature, shade elements and landscaping in Cobham Court, Hartham Pl North and where the old i-Site building used to be.
Construction work should begin in July and take a matter of months to complete.
This phase of the CBD upgrade is expected to cost about $7m and was approved in June.
Phase one included demolition of the i-Site building and Lyttelton Ave toilet block, and installation of the toilet and kiosk in Cobham Court.
John Burke was the only Porirua City councillor to vote against phase two when it came before council’s City Delivery committee meeting on Thursday.
He said inadequate shelter for residents and retailers in the CBD was ‘‘madness’’. ‘‘All of this seems like show pony stuff and I think there will be health issues stemming from children getting wet and cold [in the wet play area].
‘‘I have serious doubts about this.’’
All other councillors, and mayor Mike Tana, were in favour of the project.
Councillor Ross Leggett said the CBD was getting a new lease on life.
‘‘We are setting a standard for something distinctive.’’
Feedback on phase 2 , carried out last August and September, did vary, according to a report to councillors.
It ranged from ’’it might be worth coming down here [to the CBD] now’’ to criticism that a wet play area won’t work as there was nowhere to change wet children.
Council noted ‘‘as is often the case, most comments on social media were critical and related to the cost of the project.