Ferrybank process gets underway

The process to transform the Ferrybank precinct into the city’s premier waterfront destination has started.

City council staff, stakeholders, and politicians gathered at the riverside precinct on Monday for the formal launch of the Ferrybank development plan design process.

The development plan flows from the Hamilton City River Plan which aims to transform and enhance the city’s relationship with the Waikato River over the next 30 years.

Council chief executive Richard Briggs said the Ferrybank development plan would be progressed using a three-stage open tender process, starting Monday. The first stage was an invitation to suitably qualified design teams to pitch their vision for the Ferrybank as well as explain their skills, experience and methodology.

Three concept plans will be finalised by a tender evaluation panel and exhibited to the public by the end of the year.

‘‘So Hamilton will get an oppor- tunity to have a say which is really important because...this is for the people of Hamilton,’’ Briggs said.

The precinct could include cafes and restaurants, as well as office and retail space, and a future pedestrian and cycling bridge.

The final development plan is expected to be adopted by the council by August next year. Briggs said the council would work closely with city stakeholders, including Waikato-Tainui, to ensure appropriate engagement was done.

‘‘The Ferrybank area is of critical and spiritual importance to iwi and Waikato-Tainui and it’s important the design reflects that,’’ Briggs said.

‘‘We will be working with Waikato-Tainui to ensure that is done.

Rawiri Bidois, manager of mana whenua organisation Te Haa o te whenua o Kirikiriroa said he hoped his organisation would have the chance to provide the panel with input to ensure their knowledge was not overlooked.

‘‘It’s important our information and knowledge is reflected in the final design,’’ Bidois said.

Hamilton mayor

Julie Hardaker said Waikato-Tainui would have a representative on the panel.

‘‘One of the things that was very important when we developed the river plan was to pick up the work we did in 2003 on the Maori land marks that are along the river corridor,’’ Hardaker said.

‘‘There have been some further work done on that and with some good work about to start with Waikato-Tainui.’’

The council was also working on a vegetation management plan, mapping all the vegetation between Claudelands Bridge and Anzac Parade Bridge.

Paula Southgate, chairwoman of the Waikato Regional Council, was impressed by the river plan’s vision and welcomed the chance to showcase the region’s taonga. The regional council was pleased to work alongside the city council and looked forward to learning more details about the different projects, Southgate said.

Hamilton Grey Power president Roger Hennebry supported the river plan but was concerned about the future of the Celebrating Age Centre which was located inside the Ferrybank precinct.