Work to soon begin on Kihikihi upgrade
26 November 2012
Work will soon begin on stage one of the Kihikihi town centre upgrade that will help the village shine.
The $1,035,000 upgrade will revitalise the retail main street area of Lyon Street (State Highway 3) and include highway gateways into Kihikihi, parking bays in the village centre, relocation of the pedestrian crossing and new street lighting.
An attractive and functional square in front of the Town Hall will be developed for community use, new natural clay pavers laid for the pedestrian footpath areas in the village, and complementary landscaping including street furniture and plantings.
Road corridor manager Dawn Inglis says the upgrade will improve safety, be pleasing to the eye, and highlight the character of Kihikihi.
We are seeking to create a memorable and inviting sense of arrival to Kihikihi that will clearly show the transition from a state highway to an attractive retail area where people will want to stop and look around. This will help to calm traffic and reduce speeds making it safer for everyone.
The focus of stage one of the upgrade will be between Galloway Street and Whitmore Street. New kerbing will provide recessed parking bays and will give room for gardens, trees, street furniture and signage. The pedestrian crossing will be more centrally relocated by William Street.
The Kihikihi Residents and Ratepayers Committee made a valuable contribution to the upgrade plans including assisting with the landscaping opportunities. The committee worked with over 30 locals starting the project by clearing the raised planters in the Rewi Maniapoto Reserve. They are hoping to clear and retain the bank on the northern entrance in the New Year in anticipation of renewing the plantings in the autumn.
Kihikihi has a rich and significant history, especially with the New Zealand land wars, in particular the Rewi Maniapoto Reserve and links to the site of the Battle of Orakau. The main street has historic churches, old hotels at both ends with a historic town hall, war memorials and water tower in between.
The community has been involved in the planning of this upgrade, which will bring much of this history alive and be far more accessible to the public.
The first stage will be completed in good time before the commemoration in March 2014 of the 150-year anniversary of the battle on Orakau Pa. It is expected the Orakau site will be the focus of a national, and potentially international, commemoration event. The upgraded main street with Rewi Maniapoto Reserve is expected to have a role in the commemorations.
Future staging of the Kihikihi Town Concept Plan includes town gateways, upgrading William Street into a cul-de-sac with a picnic area at the end of the street, forming parking areas behind the Town Hall and the construction of a path from the parking areas behind the Town Hall to the Historic Precinct.
ENDS
For further information contact
Lisa Nairne
Senior Communications Advisor
Ph: 07 872 0062 or 027 532 1760
Email: lisa.nairne@waipadc.govt.nz
