Blenheim’s riverside park delayed
The site of a long-awaited riverside development in Blenheim has deep roots, stretching back to the beginning of the town more than 160 years ago.
Plans for the riverside park, off High St, were released by the Marlborough District Council in March last year after an earlier report identified the site as a prime location.
It was hoped the park would have been completed by the end of 2016, but resource consent requirements around soil contamination pushed construction back to mid-March.
Project archaeologist Dr Reg Nichol, who will be supervising excavations for the park, said the site was home to the first building in Blenheim, a trading post constructed by James Wynen in 1849.
Wynen was the first person to set up shop in the area after an earthquake in 1848 deepened the Opawa-Omaka river system, allowing larger ships carrying cargo access to the area for the first time.
Nichol said the site had been part of the commercial heart of Blenheim, and he was excited to see what was unearthed when Fulton Hogan started excavations.
‘‘Because it’s on the water, some of the first jetties where built there, it’s tremendously important for our cultural and economic history,’’ he said.
After the trading post burned down, other commercial buildings were built in its place for a variety of uses, including a picture theatre and most recently a petrol station before it was converted into a car park.
Council reserves and amenities officer Robert Hutchinson said a report had been completed after the site was tested in late November and early December to check for contamination.
Multiple pits were dug to test the soil, which came back positive for some contaminants, which meant it would have to be taken to landfill to be disposed of in sealed bags.
Hutchinson said this had delayed construction, which would begin in mid-March to avoid disruptions in the town area and to allow Fulton Hogan to prepare for the work.
‘‘The key thing is we have to ensure that the top of the floodbank remains at the same level all the way along as the job progresses,’’ he said.
The town edge of the park, which was designed to slope gently toward the Taylor River, would become the new stopbank along the edges of High St and Twelfth Ln.
The council had budgeted $1 million for the park, which Hutchinson said would improve the atmosphere of the town and help attract passing traffic on Sinclair St, which formed part of State Highway 1.
‘‘Green space within a town environment is always great, it’s another added attraction and I think it will draw people down to sit alongside the river,’’ he said.
The park was designed as the heart of an arts and culture precinct, including a $24m library and art gallery, which was shelved two years ago for future consideration by councillors.