Central government funding secured for Drews Avenue precinct
Published on 26 June 2020
Peaceable Kingdom by Andrea Gardner and Brit Bunkley
An emerging arts and hospitality precinct in Drews Avenue will be given a boost thanks to funding from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Innovating Streets for People fund.
Councils around the country applied to the fund and Whanganui District Council’s Drews Avenue application was one of the 50% of applications that were given the green light.
Waka Kotahi Urban Mobility Programme Manager, Kathryn King, says the Innovating Streets pilot fund, which provides 90% of the funding for projects, supports quick, low-cost interim improvements that create more people-friendly spaces in our neighbourhoods.
These interim projects can then be evaluated and used to inform permanent upgrades.
Town Centre Regeneration Chair, Councillor Helen Craig, says, “We’re delighted to be successful in securing significant central government funding for this transformational project which Ellen Young, Town Centre Regeneration Project Manager, has been working on for some time.
“Ellen rolled up her sleeves when this funding was announced during COVID-19 Alert Level 3, and she worked fast to get this application in.
“Through this project we’ll be revamping the streetscape, making it more welcoming and vibrant so it’s a place where pedestrians want to wander and enjoy our heritage and artistic community.
“This project will also assist with our economic recovery post COVID-19, shining a spotlight on Whanganui as an arts destination for visitors from other regions.”
Ellen Young says when you look at the town centre as a whole “Drews Ave is a crucial connecting route between our public spaces. It provides a link from the river and i-SITE Visitor Information Centre up to the Sarjeant Gallery and Regional Museum in Pukenamu Queens Park, with creatives, cafes, UCOL and NZ Glassworks en route.
“We’d like to see thriving pedestrian activity between these key cultural areas.”
Ellen Young says a series of workshops will be run with the surrounding community to co-design and co-create the precinct.
“We’re looking forward to engaging with the community for this exciting, collaborative process.”
Whanganui District Council will put a further three submissions for CBD enhancements in Guyton and Victoria Avenue into the next Innovating Streets funding round which closes in late July.