The Taupō Town Centre transformation Project was officially opened on Thursday morning. Video / Dan Hutchinson
One of the first of the Government-funded ‘Shovel Ready Projects’ - a new town centre for Taupō - has been unveiled.
Tauhara Hikawai Hapū, represented by kaumātua Napa Otimi and Manu Blake, blessed and unveiled a sculpture in the newly-defined town centre before dawn on Thursday - the final element of the $25 million project, of which $20.6m came from the Government’s Covid-19 economic stimulus package.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was at the unveiling and told the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald that it was nice to see one of the shovel-ready projects come to fruition.
The Government allocated $2.43 billion to 239 ‘shovel ready’ projects that were ready to start within one year.
“With these things it takes quite a while, once you come up with the idea, allocate the funding, do the resource consenting and all of the things that go with it, it’s great to be cutting a few ribbons and unveiling a few plaques and seeing these things come to fruition.
“It’s really nice to see the renewal and rejuvenation of town centres and key community infrastructure ... you look at the [Taupō] town centre and I remember that as a highway and to come back and see it now as a positive community space.”
Koro Napa Otimi explains the significance of the sculpture created by his nephew and master carver Delani Brown at the opening of the Taupō Town Centre transformation project. Photo / Dan Hutchinson
The town centre redevelopment involved rerouting the main road around the CBD, to allow the shops and eateries to be better connected to the lakefront.
It was one of three Taupō projects to be officially opened by Hipkins and Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan on Thursday morning.
The other two were the new $9.2m Taupō Airport terminal, which received a $5m grant from the Crown’s Provincial Development Unit and $870,000 from the Ministry of Transport and the Eastern Arterial Shared cycle and walking path.
Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said the new lakefront would be something locals and visitors could enjoy for generations to come.
“Our CBD is now more pedestrian friendly, safer for our young ones and more accessible to those with disabilities, and the lakefront development is just a fantastic place to be, a place that connects us to our lake and our mountains, and thanks to some very creative locals it also tells the story of our place.”
The Taupō Town Centre transformation Project is officially opened on March 9. Photo / Dan Hutchinson
The centrepiece of the new domain on Roberts St is an impressive circle of upright sculptures that are also water features representing the rivers flowing into the lake, surrounding a carving by local master carver Delani Brown.
Figures released by the Taupō District Council show the town centre project created about 100 local jobs with 90 per cent of the $25 million cost spent locally.
The ‘shovel-ready’ initiative was designed to help communities recover from the economic impact of Covid-19.
New community green spaces, paving, cycle lanes, footpaths and sculptures have been built around Roberts Reserve, effectively turning the area into Taupō's town square.
The first three phases involved redirecting through traffic along Spa Rd and Tītīraupenga St, safety improvements on Ruapehu St and a new roundabout and cycle lanes on Tongariro St.
The Taupō Town Centre transformation Project is officially opened on March 9. Photo / Dan Hutchinson
While the work has largely taken place over the last two and a half years, the changes were proposed as part of the Taupō Urban Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan in 2011 which was why it was able to start so quickly.
The plan identified Tongariro St and Lake Terrace as cutting the CBD off from lakefront and domain and sought to address this.
Project manager Travis Delich said the project had not been without challenges but the dedication of the Taupō locals working on it had made it a success.
“In addition to the difficulties of working around businesses and road closures, we also had the many disruptions that Covid brought, and then one of the wettest winters on record followed by one of the wettest summers on record!
“But there were so many locals on this project that were determined to make it something that would be unique to us and that brought vibrancy to our town, so we knew it was going to be a success with that kind of passion behind it.”
