Ruapehu's Mainstreet plans costed at $5m

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 635, 7 May 1996, Page 1

Ruapehu's Mainstreet plans costed at $5m

When Ruapehu District councillors met toconsiderthe 1 996/97 Draft Annual Plan last Wednesday it appeared they were evenly split - at least initially - on the

proposal to fully fund the Mainstreet programmes to the levels contained in the Draft Annual Plan. The Mainstreet programmes are aimed at the development and renewal of the town centres of

Taumarunui, Ohakune and Raetihi including such capital works as the upgrading of street lighting, paving, street furniture etc. Preliminary proposals have already been

presented to the communities concerned as part of the consultative process but, as yet, no final decision has been made as to what precise capital works will be involved. As soon as these are finalised it is estimated the plans will require total funding of $5 million over a number of years with a first-year budget estimated to be $1.5 million. After lengthy discussion it was decided to approve the expenditure of $68,000 already allocated to the Mainstreet programmes in the 1996/97 Draft Annual Plan to ensure the impetus is maintained in the meantime until a final decision is made about funding. This decision in favour was made on a show of hands with only Crs Joe Murphy and Bob Vine dissenting. Cr Bob Vine was the first to oppose large sums of money being allocated by council saying: "I'm not comfortable with this, given the council' s current level of debt repayment ... I am against any massive financial investment at the present,time". Cr Joe Murphy said he was also reluctantly opposed to the allocation of such large sums of money though he did admire all the work that had been done and all the effort that had been put in. Cr Eddie Turley also expressed his reservations, given the amount of work that had gone into preparing the schemes, but said that something had to-be done to improve the image of Taumarunui whose retail area "looks very run down" despite retailers paying large rents to building owners who did very little to maintain their premises. Cr John Compton agreed that the costings seemed "prohibitively expensive" but suggested funding could be spread over 5, 10, 15 or even 20 years. The preliminary plans will not be wasted, he said, and suggested the decision as to prioritising the work over a period of time should go back to the local community boards, once the final costings have been completed. Cr Bob Peck said that the cost factor could be minimised, given that a basic effect could be achieved by merely painting all the buildings in Seddon Street in aco-ordinated scheme of "antique colours" (in keeping with the 'Historic Town' theme proposed by the Mainstreet architect).

Mainstreet plans to cost $5m

FROMP1 Cr Irene Dempsey said that she would be very disappointed if nothing was done after all the work that had gone into preparing plans. Cr Kevin Amohia agreed that the town (T aumarunui) presents a very drab, run down impression and it should improve its appearance in order to attract investment and increase business. Cr Steve Mastrovitch said that he had encountered a lot of opposition in National Park to the proposed Mainstreet schemes. "Ohakune and Raetihi townships are already well ahead of us; we've still got a dirt road running through the centre of town". Cr Stuart Shaw told fellow councillors that a lot

of retailers were not keen on the scheme but they should be the ones to improve their o wn premises and for that reason he was not prepared to support council funding except for public amenities. Cr Ellen Gould said she never realised that such "astronomical estimates" would be involved in adopting the Mainstreet programmes. "I thought the projects would be the responsibility of each township to develop their programmes over the coming years ... I think the community board should be consulted". The chief executi ve, Cliff Houston, pointed out that the longer the period over which the programmes are spread out the less will be the impact. "Either we have to increase rates to pay for them or fund them by rai sing a loan". Cr Graeme Cosford agreed that something "has to be done over the shortest possible time to achieve

maximum impact". He suggested the council might fund the projects by loan but only after other avenues of fundraising (such as corporate support) have been investigated. Cr Bob Peck reminded fellow councillors that "if nothing is done soon in Raetihi there will be no township to develop there anyway because everyone will have moved out". Cr Kevin Amohia suggested that savings might be made if council ■ pro vi ded all the materi al and sought voluntary community support in contributing labour. Mayor Weston Kirton,

summing up, said that he was some what di sappointed about some of the attitudes expressed in the Mainstreet debate. "It is not fair to all the people who have put in such hard work and if the Ruapehu District Council does not go forward, it will go backwards.

"We should see the Mainstreet programmes as an investment in our future rather than as a short term liability." "It is too important to let the issue lie ... it will give the impression that council is not interested or not behind the Mainstreet schemes".