The Alexandra River Park project has moved to the detailed design phase, subject to available funding.
First put into action seven years ago with the formation of the Alexandra Miners Village and Riverside Park Trust (the Trust), the aim of the project is to rejuvenate lower Tarbert Street with a new public space at the junction of the Mata-au/Clutha and Manuherekia rivers at Alexandra.
A report tabled at the meeting and delivered by CODC Project Manager Christina Martin, outlined that over the past year, the Trust, Aukaha and Council staff have been working together to progress the concept plan consulted on in 2022 into a developed design. Ms Martin explained that the developed design has then been split into three stages to bring the project within achievable funding parameters.
Stage 1: Plaza and river access (2024)
Stage 2: Ongoing enhancements (2024 – 2028)
Stage 3: Play area (to be considered in the next Long-term Plan).
Speaking at the meeting, and accompanied by Trust members Lynda Gray and David Ritchie, Trust chairman, Rory McLellan said that “although we have staged the project, we have everything needed (to meet the original project objectives in the first stage), so it’s well on its way”.
Stage 1 has been estimated by a quantity surveyor to cost $1.46 million. It will include a plaza area at the end of Tarbert Street comprising of public toilets, bike racks, seating and shade trees: Also, river access from a viewing platform at the end of Tarbert Street with a path that will lead to the river, where natives will replace the current poplar and willow trees.
The next step in this project is submitting funding applications (Central Lakes Trust, Lotteries Otago/Southland Regional Community Grant, and Otago Community Trust) and procurement of a construction partner for the plaza and a landscape partner for the river access to take the developed designs through to fruition. Ms Martin anticipated (subject to the construction and landscape partners' availability) the aim is to have the project completed before the end of the year.
VCB chair Tamah Alley said it was exciting to see the project progress and was looking forward to seeing the willows come down to open up the views to the river.
