Author Archive
To the Wellington City Council Strategy and Policy Committee
The Trust agrees with the main finding of the report — that the framework is fit for purpose. The Trust has never understood why the Council would wish to disturb a set of objectives and principles which were the product of a consultative and collaborative process and which had successfully established benchmarks for evaluating specific proposals. Read more »
To the Wellington City Council
This is our submission on the Town Belt Guiding Principles (public consultation closing 9 September 2011). It is of enduring interest to us, and we wish to be heard in any oral submissions process on this consultation.
Overriding paramount principles
- Firstly, the Wellington Civic Trust (the Trust) recommends to Council that there be overriding paramount principles. The foremost of these would be that the Town Belt is to be accorded a mana and a sanctity that place it supremely above all other public reserve and recreation areas. The other overriding principle would be that each generation of Wellington Councillors and citizens honour the responsibility of protecting and enhancing the Town Belt as open recreational space for future generations in perpetuity. This is not just another park. Read more »
To the NZ Transport Agency
Why the Wellington Civic Trust is making a submission
- The Wellington Civic Trust has as its first object “to promote a civic environment whereby the City of Wellington, its surroundings, and its adjacent countryside and coastline become a resource for the use, benefit and enjoyment of all Wellington citizens.” (Constitution and rules, Objects, Clause 4 (a)) The NZTA proposals are billed as “improvements for a successful capital city.” We have therefore approached this project in that light. Would it promote that object set out in our constitution and in so doing would it make this capital city more successful?
To: info@gw.govt.nz
The Wellington Civic Trust (the Trust) is a strong supporter of public transport, because it:
- is consistent with the Trust’s purpose with respect to the civic quality of Wellington
- reduces demand on road space and helps avoid need to expand roading space, thereby avoiding the generation of “induced” traffic
- contributes to CBD quality by bringing people closer together and improving pedestrian connections, and enables the vibrancy of a compact CBD
- has positive environmental effects such as reduced emissions and air pollution
- reduces fuel use and so increases economic resilience as fuel scarcity increases prices.
- provides mobility for non-car users.
We welcome the opportunity to submit on the proposed Plan, using the questions posed on the feedback form.
Introduction
1. The Trust commends the Council for the presentation of the plan – the language is plain and direct and issues for comment have been highlighted to facilitate public involvement. The areas of ‘focus approach’ is particularly useful.
2. We accept the strategy on which the plan is based, as explained in the opening comments from both the Mayor and the Chief Executive. Rates affordability is a key issue. The city has to continue to invest in core infrastructure and if acceptable living standards are to be maintained, so must essential services. A number of service charges are being increased. This is no doubt inevitable because the ratepayer should not have to bear the full burden of unavoidable increased in costs. It would, however, be a shame if service charges forced an increasing number of our citizens to be priced out of services previously within their reach. That would amount to a partial loss of citizenship.
The trust thanks the ministry for the opportunity to comment on the engagement document on the GPS on land transport funding. Our comments follow.
Comments:
- While entitled ‘the GPS on Land Transport funding’, it does not cover KiwiRail’s expenditure on the rail network. It therefore misses any opportunities for looking at the transport network as a whole, and is unlikely to achieve full value for money since this approach cannot optimise the use of all existing resources and infrastructure. For example, Hamilton to Tauranga is proposed as a RoNS while the parallel railway line has received some upgrading and is capable of more. Read more »
WCT Awards – The winners
The Wellington Civic Trust Awards were held in the Council Chambers on 28 April 2011. These were the lustrous winners:
Category winner — ‘Enhancement or Protection of the City’s Built Environment’
Te Wharewaka, by Architecture+
The runner-up was the Chews Lane Project byAthfield Architects.
Category winner — ‘The City’s Public Spaces’
Te Ahumairangi Hill Lookout, Tinakori Hill
The runner-up was Taranaki Wharf West.
Category winner — ‘Art in the City ~ People’s Choice’
Colin Webster-Watson’s Frenzy, Taputeranga Reserve, Owhiro Bay
Submission on the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor Plan and State Highway Projects
To the Extraordinary Council Meeting 20 April 2011
The Civic Trust is not too concerned about the attitude taken by the NZTA in this matter. Central government always leans on its smaller and weaker partner in government. Moreover, NZTA’s bloodline goes back to the Ministry of Works, an organisation with many qualities, but not, unfortunately, any related to engagement with the public. We expect better of that arm of government which is community-based. This issue will be a true test of whether or not our Council can, despite the lure of central government cash, approach this matter determined to act in the best interests of the communities it represents.
Submission on Report 2 to the WCC Strategy and Policy Committee Review of Implementation Agency for the waterfront
The Wellington Civic Trust agrees with the recommendation of officers that the reduced status quo option is the best immediate choice for the continued operation of the Council’s waterfront implementation agency. We believe, however, that this should be an interim decision and that the governance structure of the project should be included in the proposed review of the Framework.
While the Trust agrees with the broad conclusion reached in the review, it is disappointed with its tone. We can well understand why the company was prompted to write so fulsomely in praise of Karen Wallace’s work. The report exaggerates the risks of the in-house option and is too enthusiastic in its support of the CCO model. We believe each model has its strengths and its weaknesses. We heard this morning a lot about the great merits of a focused, arms-length implementation agency. We should remember it was a focused, arms- length agency which gave us the Events Centre.
These images were published in a feature in the Arts & Entertainment section (Tom Cardy) of the Dominion Post on 3rd March 2011, and represent highly visible art works introduced into Wellington City since the last Civic Trust Awards in October 2008.
1. Gabriel Heimler’s The Mover, Museum Hotel, Cable St.
2. Regan Gentry’s Subject to Change, Karo Drive, Te Aro.
3. Peter Trevelyan’s Mimetic Brotherhood, outside Te Papa.
4. Phil Dadson’s Akau Tangi, Cobham Drive.
5. Paul Dibble’s From Under the Harbour, Moore Wilson, Tory St.
6. Colin Webster-Watson’s Frenzy, Tuputeranga Reserve, Owhiro Bay.
