City Scene - April 2001: Central city to get revamp

April 2001

Rates increase held to 32 cents a week

Facts and beliefs to be borne in mind

Council Wants your comments

Upgrade for west of New Brighton Mall

Money form Orion to benefit city for years to come

Turning Point 2000 ends its work

Central city to get revamp

Road ahead: The Mayoral Forum has developed a strategy to revitalise the city’s central areas.

Christchurch’s central city area needs revitalisation to ensure its continued survival — and the Central City Mayoral Forum is set up to tackle the issues involved.

It has developed a strategy to do the job that will involve public and private involvement.

The project is long-term, at least 25 years, but already the Forum has made some progress in bringing changes to the central city. These include recommendations made to the City Council on a formal central-city retail association, a one-stop project team, a High Street precinct project and a new park and squares on the east side of the central city.

Also recommendations include free one-hour parking in some Council off-street car parks and the investigation of changing the directions of Lichfield and Tuam streets one-way traffic-flow system.

The Forum has recommended that the Council concentrate much of its efforts to the east of Colombo Street in the initial stages.

The strategy wants to reverse the business and residential drift to the suburbs or outlying areas and, to that end, the Forum is keen to provide incentives for new businesses and residential ventures in the central city

Its aim is to make the central city a more attractive place to live, shop, socialise and conduct business.

The Christchurch City Council, which has adopted the central city strategy, agrees with the Forum that all projects must be sustainable.

Also it sees a need to improve public spaces.

Such developments are not new for the City Council. In the 1960s, an extensive planning study was carried out for the city and arising from it were developments such as Victoria Square, Cathedral Square, and the one-way traffic system.

Also, pedestrian malls were provided, such as the City Mall, and attractive areas west of Colombo Street, including the Worcester Boulevard were created and then came The Strip.

In a couple of years the new art gallery will be opened.

Now other areas of the central city must be enhanced to ensure an exciting and vibrant future.

Revitalising the Heart of Our City: Development of a Central City Strategy — Stage 1 is available from the Christchurch City Council,Tuam Street.

Also see www.ccc.govt.nz/centralcity/

The Central City Strategy concept plan.