In July and August, the Tawa community was asked which of six improvements they preferred and for any other ideas they had to revitalise the shopping area. The Council’s budget is $1 million for the project.
“Redesigning the space in front of the Plan B House and adding new seating, paving and planting will make it more usable and make the area more walkable and attractive. In future years, this space could be used for ‘Spring into Tawa’, crafts markets and other community events,” says Mayor Celia Wade-Brown. “It will boost the town centre’s image, especially as you can see it from the busy Main Road.”
The community identified safety issues with the existing zebra crossings, so they will be reconfigured to help slow traffic in the busiest part of the shopping area and make it safer for pedestrians. The Council will redesign two pedestrian crossings: one between the Plan B House and the TAB, and between the Post Shop and the dairy.
“It was great to see people letting us know what they’d like to see in Tawa Town Centre. The interactive website meant people could see which options were popular during the consultation. Investing in pedestrian safety and the plaza upgrade will make the heart of Tawa a more attractive place to be and make it safer and easier to walk around,” says Councillor Foster, Transport and Urban Development Committee Chairman. “We want this investment to help strengthen business activity.”
The recent consultation resulted in around 150 submissions from Tawa residents, businesses and other interested parties.