Plans for bespoke town square
The trust spear heading the Hundertwasser Park project at Kawakawa are excited the initiative moves another step towards completion following the purchase of a property beside the world-famous toilet complex.
The Gillies St property purchased by the Northland Regional Council in early August has honoured an ‘‘in principle agreement’’ to provide up to $500,000 to help fund a visitor centre to honour the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
The acquisition has cleared the way for the two primary drivers of the project - The Hundertwasser Park Charitable Trust and Far North Holdings to progress plans and funding applications.
The trust intends to develop a town square on the newly acquired property which will become an essential link between Kawakawa’s main street and the Hundertwasser Park development. The park grounds has already been planted with trees and scrubs donated by the community. Links to the proposed cycleway amd vintage railway are planned.
Chairwoman Noma Shepherd says the proposed development includes a new visitor centre, cafe´ and the FNDC’s Kawakawa-based service centre and library to be built on the edge of the park behind the proposed town square. To facilitate this the current Gillies St building would be demolished.
She envisaged local and recycled materials, solar power and Hundertwasser architectural elements would be included in the design.
Shepherd says originally the project grew from the community looking for a way to thank Hundertwasser for what he had gifted the town. ‘‘We wanted to recognise his strong message of protection and conservation by placing the visitor and learning centre in a park-like setting.’’
Far North Holdings chief executive Andy Nock says the community working party ‘‘will now work through design concepts that will provide the best outcome for Kawakawa’’.
‘‘Our intention is to finalise the design in the next three to four months have it priced and have something started by early next year,’’ he says.
Nock declined in estimating the cost of the project saying they would wait for the prices.
’’It may well be we do it in stages and we will allow plans for expansion.’’