Projects finally start happening as the year finishes up
Users of James Line will relate to the "good things take time" issue.
It is something of a cliche in the process of local government that good things take time.
A lot of projects in recent years have been delayed, postponed, had to wait for someone else’s money or agreement and there’s a tendency for citizens to roll their eyes and complain that it’s always like that once ‘‘the council’’ is involved.
But as the year draws to a close Palmerston North can boast a collection of really cool projects finally happening, and others simply happening in good time.
Mayor Grant Smith touched on some of them at his Christmas party on Wednesday (to which guests brought gifts for children to be distributed by Te Aroha Noa Community Services) and his list wasn’t even exhaustive. Neither will be this collection of edited highlights.
Residents and frequent users of James Line will relate to the ‘‘good things take time’’ issue. They have been waiting for years for the bottom end of the road between State Highway 3 and the railway line to be upgraded to urban standards.
The most recent delays were caused by grappling with Horizons Regional Council over resource consent conditions regarding the emerging issue of stormwater management. When all that was resolved, contractors were appointed.
November finally arrived and the work is under way.
Another project that took much longer than its original advocates imagined possible was the Junior Road Safety Park at Victoria Esplanade, which opened in November.
Originally, councillors themselves delayed the process, many not convinced that the little road network was worthy of the prime piece of real estate at the Fitzherbert Ave end of the Esplanade.
That obstacle finally cleared, the next issue was fundraising, and the sometimes laborious business of negotiations. Then suddenly, within a few short months, it was all done, opened, and in use.
Deep in the heart of the Esplanade, Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery is being built, aiming for opening in the middle of 2018.
It might have been six years in the planning, but it is coming on apace at the moment, supported by community donations of money, materials and labour from groups and citizens who see its potential as a unique and popular visitor attraction, as well as being great for the birds.
And at the other end of the Esplanade, temporarily in the delayed basket, is the soon-to-bebuilt He Ara Kotahi cycle and pedestrian bridge.
A project like it has been on the city’s wish list for decades, but it was ‘‘only’’ – in the local government meaning of the word – the middle of 2015 when a successful bid for government money provided impetus for a decision on where to put it.
For the key part of a $10 million project to move from concept, through resource management issues and to imminent contractletting within two-and-a-half years is actually pretty speedy.
This particular cluster of three projects is also providing urgency for another one of those projects that has been on the books for as long as council watchers have been reading them – taking the kink out of the Cook St/park Rd/ Esplanade intersection.
This, along with a new entrance road and path down to the Manawatu¯ Riverside shared pathway, is likely to be addressed with the urgency it deserves.
Then there is the grand plan for the riverside park. Within months of consulting the downstream communities, Waitoetoe Park has become Ahimate Park and work is under way on the redevelopment.
Sadly for now, the Library of the Future project has somewhat fallen victim to council-itis.
The pause button has been pressed on the multimillion-dollar update that it was envisioned would have been under way by now.
That is for good reasons, we have been assured, while further investigations are done on the repurposed building to ensure all of its peculiarities are understood.
And for sure, there are times when getting it right has to take precedence over getting it done. Still, it would be grand if the council managed to get through the work it has charged rates for.
It might make its finances look less impressive than has been typical, but it would get the city buzzing.
END NOTE:
It seems far too soon, but this is the final chapter of the Rankin files for 2017.
The electronic library systems, the notebooks and the scrapbooks that pre-date them can take a rest until 2018.
I will then return, refreshed, to observe and report on the biggest year of planning in the three-year cycle, the refinement of the city council’s Long-term Plan. It will not be as dull as that sounds.
Meantime, if slightly ahead of Christmas preparations, here’s wishing the council, all who sail in her, and all who contribute their rates, a safe and happy holiday.
Drive safely. Please.