Wilson Street upgrade – have your say

Published on 23 December 2014

23 December 2014

The Wanganui District Council will be giving Wilson Street a major upgrade and we invite the community to give us their input.

Some of the infrastructure on the street, including drainage, intersections, kerbs and footpaths, is more than 100 years old and in need of renewal.

The project also provides an opportunity to update underground infrastructure such as stormwater, gas and power as well as consider how street trees, some of which are more than 100 years old, will be managed.

Wilson Street is in the outer commercial zone of the central business district. It is the home of more than 50 businesses and provides an arterial route for around 6000 vehicles per day, as well as cycle traffic.

On 29 October 2014, a long-term streetscape report for Wilson Street was tabled at a meeting attended by Wilson Street businesses and building owners and organisers of the Cemetery Circuit motorcycle race, who use the street as part of the event. The Tree Advisory Group, which was formed to help the Council prepare tree management guidelines, also attended the meeting.

The report provided several options for the project; retain most or some of the existing trees; create new kerbs and footpaths over the existing road while losing a large number of on-street parks, or remove all existing trees, re-plant them and renew over and underground infrastructure.

Wanganui District Council Deputy Property Manager Leighton Toy says Wilson Street was once both a residential and commercial area but is now “very much a commercial part of the central business district and we want the look and feel of the street to reflect this”.

“We talked to business owners in the street who placed a strong emphasis on the retention of on-street parking and clear visibility of their businesses.

“Most of the stakeholders favoured the full regeneration of the streetscape, which means removing all existing trees, planting new ones and renewing under and overground infrastructure while retaining the current on-street parking.

“We are hoping the process of consulting with key businesses, the Tree Advisory Group and the wider community will provide a format we can use when we approach other areas in the central business district due for regeneration. Please let us know what you think is the best option is for this street.”

Find out more about this project and give your feedback before Friday, 23 January 2015.