A cherry picker has been putting up street lighting on Cameron St this week, as workers put the final touches on Whangarei's first pedestrian and vehicle shared space. A street party is planned on completion.
Grey pavers - which distinguish the area vehicles can crawl along from the red brick-coloured ones on the footpath - are making their way along James and Cameron streets as part of a $2.6 million revamp of the CBD.
Whangarei District Council project engineer Rachael Mannion said a street party was planned for November 27, to celebrate completion of the work. More details on this would be released soon, and the council would be consulting with businesses on what they would like.
A stage and new street furniture will go in by Christmas, allowing performers to entertain passers-by. By mid-2016 a transparent canopy would float over the intersection of Cameron and James streets.
The project had upset some nearby businesses due to the traffic disruptions and limited parking which impacted on revenue.