EDITORIAL - Crucial time to plan Whangarei city

Laura Franklin, Editor
So, Whangarei's Town Basin roadworks are almost complete - or so we have been promised.
Just three weeks to go, they say. (Then again, that has been the constant refrain since about mid-August.)
The $8.1 million project began in December and was originally due to be finished by the end of August. By the time it's finished, it will have overrun its schedule by about two months - and we've yet to be told what effect that extra time will have had on costs.
Cynicism aside, though, it does appear that the new roading format is emerging, and that can and should be seen as the start of a new era of opportunity for the city's Town Basin.
Ten years old today, the development surrounding the marina attempts to make the most of one of the things that makes Whangarei special. As such, it should be appreciated, enhanced ... and it would be nice to see it even better used by the people of the city, and by visitors.
Controversy and speculation surrounds a prime piece of water-side land that has been freed up by the roading realignment, and it is to be hoped that the Whangarei District Council will be able to plan the future of this area with great vision.
It is being eyed by developers, of course - and people with money and ideas will be vital to the future of Whangarei. But it is also important that the people of the city retain access to the waterfront and that open public space with sensitive landscaping remains part of the plan.
The use of this key site, the continued improvement of the quayside environment and the way it links (or, currently, doesn't link) with the Central Business District, will have a huge impact on Whangarei's ability to present itself as an attractive and well-planned city that will draw residents and tourists alike.
The council has expressed a committment to canvas public opinion on the way it allows the Town Basin to develop. Be sure to have your say if you care about the future shape of the city.
All over the country (the world, in fact), wharf and marina areas are becoming meccas for stylish development. Such picturesque sites are the natural home of cafes, bars, boutique stores and apartments. Formerly industrial areas alongside waterways are being transformed, and there are similar opportunities for Whangarei.
While we're discussing this, why not talk about how we brand the area?
Does anyone else agree that "Town Basin"' sounds a little mundane? (A "basin" sounds like something one would find in a hospital or kitchen.)
A stroll along "Quayside", anyone?