Boost or burden?
The grand plans for Dunedin’s Steamer Basin have already created plenty of debate around the city. David BensonPope and David Stewart put forward their views on the proposal.
Pros
DUNEDIN’S waterfront vision is a onceinalifetime opportunity to literally pave the way for a long overdue revitalisation of a sadly neglected part of our city, and to do so through both public and private investment and development. The aim is to ensure extensive public access and encourage the transformation of an underutilised part of our city — all at relatively minimal cost to ratepayers.
Providing the right climate for job growth and economic development is a key responsibility of the council. While we cannot achieve that on our own, we have an important role to play through things like taking an enabling approach through our planning and consenting functions, investing in new and existing infrastructure, supporting business development initiatives and helping to promote the city to current and potential investors and skilled workers.
The waterfront vision project ticks all these boxes.
As we know, the waterfront area has been neglected, much of it near derelict, for far too long. The wharves in the steamer basin area are soon due for replacement due to deterioration of the sea wall and the operational needs of the port company have changed. That shift in the focus of marine and shipping operations provides us with an opportunity that we must grasp. We all know great examples of popular and successful waterfront development, and Wellington is a perfect example with its interesting, attractive and supremely popular waterfront in a climate much less friendly than ours!
The support of the Provincial Growth Fund has paid for the extensive feasibility study, which demonstrates that the projects can be realised, and the bid for further funding has been submitted.
The work proposed will make the land in the area resilient against inevitable sea level rise, and strong and viable for private sector development — things like a marine research centre, a hotel and convention centre, offices, apartments, exhibition spaces and restaurants. Public access is ensured around the whole water edge.
As a necessary catalyst for the waterfront vision, the council has committed $20 million to building an architectural pedestrian/cycle bridge to better connect the centre city with the harbour. The DCC will also probably pick up some additional maintenance costs as a result of development in the area. However, these costs will be insignificant when weighed against the benefits. The costs of some road works may also fall to the ratepayer — for example, realigning Wharf St to create a bigger public space at the head of the basin. A metrostyle playground, a smaller version of the Margaret Mahy playground in Christchurch, is also proposed as part of the first stage.
Privatesector investment is expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The waterfront vision project is also expected to create several hundred new jobs in the education, research, technology, tourism and cultural sectors. Tourist spending in the city is also expected to increase as a result.
So, the Dunedin City Council’s role in the waterfront vision project certainly isn’t about ‘‘picking up the tab’’. Rather, it’s about the council acting in its role as a facilitator and enabler of development in our city.
It is also important to emphasise that the waterfront vision isn’t happening ‘‘at the expense’’ of other important projects in the city. We’re fully conscious, for example, of the climate changerelated challenges facing particularly South Dunedin, and the community’s everincreasing concern at local housing availability and
affordability. Much planning, resource and effort is being directed towards preparing for and responding to these issues.
We know too, our new hospital is one of the biggest construction projects ever in this country, and this is part of the momentum that we have in Dunedin just now. Let’s all work to make sure these things are ‘‘as well as’’, not ‘‘instead of’’.
In addition to planning for and responding to challenges, we must also seize the opportunities that present themselves.
The waterfront vision is an opportunity that is simply too big and too important to let slip.