Future of St John’s Hill walkways considered
Published on 09 November 2017
9 November 2017
Whanganui District Council is considering permanently closing two St John’s Hill walkways and doing repair work on another.
The two walkways considered for closure are Burnett Terrace and Smart Terrace. The Council is considering doing repairs on Alexa Place walkway, which is currently closed, in order to re-open it.
All three walkways connect St John’s Hill with the city.
Cr Helen Craig says it is vital for the Whanganui community, particularly those who regularly use the walkways, to give the Council their feedback.
“It is a good time to consider the future viability of these walkways, particularly when there are a number of alternative routes to get to and from St John’s Hill from the base of the hill. We want to know what people think and whether they have any ideas about what they would prefer,” says Cr Craig.
“We are presenting three separate options for the future of Smart Terrace, Burnett Terrace and Alexa Place walkways. We have put together detailed information, which includes the benefits and disadvantages for each of the walkways. We really hope users will have their say.”
An assessment from 2016 found that Smart Terrace, Burnett Terrace and Alexa Place walkways had low usage amongst residents. The unstable hillside location of the walkways also means the Council could face significant costs for maintenance due to slips.
There are a number of alternative walkway options to get to and from St John’s Hill, including the New Zealand Transport Authority shared pathway along Great North Road, Victoria Park walkway, Christie’s Hill walkway and ‘Ghost Track A’ and ‘Ghost Track B’ (semi-paved tracks maintained by the Council).
Households near the walkways will be directly contacted via letter. Signs have been placed at the entrances to all three walkways to let users know how they can have their say.
Once the feedback is gathered, it will be presented to a future Property and Community Services Committee meeting for a decision.
More detail and a map is available at the Have Your Say page or you can collect a feedback form from the Municipal Building, 101 Guyton Street and the Whanganui District Libraries.
Feedback closes on Monday 27 November 2017.