Taranaki gets $20m slice of the pie
Trails, SH43 and cathedral are all to be upgraded
Taranaki’s cathedral is in for a $5 million tourism revamp and a regional highway upgrade will get a look-in as the Government continues doling out its $1 billion-ayear provincial growth fund.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones yesterday announced $20m of the fund would go to Taranaki, backing a broader plan to revitalise its economy.
In a bid to create a tourism drawcard, up to $5m will be spent on an upgrade of Taranaki Cathedral in New Plymouth, including displays and guides about the region’s history.
“[It] will help transform the cathedral into a tourism attraction that will showcase the sometimes turbulent story of European settlement in Taranaki and the relationship between Maori and Pakeha over 175 years,” Mr Jones said.
The work is expected to start in mid 2019 and take about 15 months. The biggest amount on yesterday’s list is the $13.3m going to supporting upgrades and the expansion of hiking trails around Mount Taranaki and the National Park. “The first phase of today’s commitment will be a comprehensive investigation of the best ways to promote tourism in the Taranaki region and enhance biodiversity on Taranaki Mounga, and how the proposed crossing tracks fit into that,” Jones said. The region’s “Forgotten World Highway” — SH43 — is also getting a look-in; $400,000 has been allocated to investigating its tourism value ahead of a possible revamp. The route, from Stratford to Taumarunui, is a freight route and increasingly popular with tourists, but a 12km stretch through the Tangarakau Gorge remains unsealed. “SH43 takes you through some wild and beautiful parts of Taranaki, but it’s not an easy drive,” Jones said.
Yesterday’s announcement also includes a raft of other feasibility studies. About $500,000 is set aside for reviews.
The funding feeds into a broader plan launched yesterday aimed at diversifying Taranaki’s economy beyond its fuel and agricultural sectors. The region is expected to chip in $16m.