Wachner Place To Get Long Overdue Revamp (updated)
Wachner Place will retain its clock structure and be restored, and buses will also be able to enter lower Esk Street to access the new Distinction hotel.
It seems like a win-win for everyone, except those staunchly opposed to changing anything about Wachner Place, and honouring its history.
Related: Old Invercargill Flashback – Wachner Place Over The Years
Councillors voted 10-3 to the amended recommendation with Peter Kett, Lesley Soper and Ria Bond strongly against changing Wachner Place.
Mayor Nobby Clark told the council meeting yesterday that the decision on Wachner Place was not just about servicing Geoff Thomson’s new Distinction hotel under construction.
He said a starting point could be upgrading the clock, as it was “pretty ugly” and it could be given a proper restoration.
“We need to tidy up the clock, paint it and add some lighting at night time.”
Recent public consultation showed 86% of the 173 submitters opposed to opening up the space for traffic, but Mayor Clark made a compromise which allowed a new option that favoured both buses and keeping the clock structure.
It was pointed out multiple times during the meeting that the 86% only represented 0.3% of the population, and the voices of the community.
Cr’s Alex Crackett and Trish Boyle both acknowledged the Mayor’s leadership by listening to the submitters, with Crackett saying it was “a fantastic compromise.”
Cr Ian Pottinger was clearly for option one allowing bus access, saying “do we drop our visitors at the door or dump them on the curb at Levin Street?” He said they needed to look at the whole visitor experience.
Cr Darren Ludlow reflected on the significant changes in the city over the past 34 years. Wachner Place was created in the late 1980s. He said it was a significantly different public space now, and didn’t see the proposals as a loss of the current space, but more of an amendment.
Deputy Mayor Tom Campbell summed it up well with his words,”I think we can make Wachner Place a better tribute to Abraham Wachner than it is today.”
whatsoninvers.nz founder Mike Sanford believes Wachner Place has never worked as a public space.
“It’s shaded, run-down, and barren, seemingly a melting pot for the undesirable and criminals. I think the council’s decision on Tuesday is a great start, by removing the mess that splits Lower Esk from the rest of the city. Everyone seems to have missed the horrible mess that guests of the new hotel would see when looking east from Lower Esk.”
” With plans to create a pedestrian-friendly outdoor area to service Hell’s Pizza and Amigos, it makes sense. Now that we have revitalized Don Street, especially with the Esk Street Invercargill Central shopping centre, we have our new town centre/square. Don Street hosted its first successful night street market with an estimated 3,000 attendees, and there’s another Don Street night market this Friday.”