An artist's impression of the new Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wellington. Image / Supplied
An artist's impression of the new Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wellington. Image / Supplied
Wellington City Council is taking another shot at securing Government help in building a convention centre for the city.
The convention centre is part of a list of key projects the council is seeking funding for as part of the Government's "shovel ready" programme to stimulate the economy from theimpacts of Covid-19.
Wellington mayor Andy Foster said council had approached Government "on a number of occasions" to try to secure $25 million in funding towards the $180 million project, but nothing has yet come to fruition.
Adding it to the city's list of shovel-ready projects that could be funded under the new programme was another crack at getting a contribution to the work, which is already underway.
Council has already spent $60 million buying land, paying for design work, and laying the structural foundations for the Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.
While Foster expected that work to continue after the lockdown extended, "nothing in life is ever guaranteed".
Other items on council's list, which comes with a $650 million price tag, include CBD wastewater upgrades ($31 million), the City Housing upgrade programme ($180 million), strengthening of Wellington Museum on Queen's Wharf ($31 million), and improvements to the controversial Island Bay cycleway ($14 million).
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These projects, as well as flood protection schemes, social housing developments, work on the St John's church site in Karori, strengthening of the Municipal Office building, and a $52 million quake-resistant reservoir, are 10 projects the council said were ready to begin construction within six months.
Foster said a priority for council was to ensure the projects would, as much as possible, provide work for small and medium-sized contractors and subcontractors.
Collectively, the projects could directly employ more than 2200 workers.
Council also submitted a list of future projects able to start in six to 18 months, as well as programmes and pipeline packages of work.
Those included work on the Te Ngākau Civic Precinct, a revamp of the TSB Arena, and redevelopment of a Southern Landfill sludge dewatering plant.
"Covid's impact on our economy makes the Government's willingness to assist even more critical than it already was," Foster said.
"We have worked very quickly but carefully to put this package of 10 potential Wellington shovel-ready investments together for consideration as well as projects that could keep employment and activity going over the next few years.
"If the Government can assist in helping get some of these across the line, that will be immensely helpful."
On top of the $650 million funding request, council is working with Greater Wellington Regional Council and other local councils to submit a $490 million Let's Get Wellington Moving proposal.
Deputy mayor Sarah Free said many of the shovel-ready projects are at risk of not proceeding for quite some time, not only as a result of the escalating costs of construction but also because the council will need to prioritise where money is spent to offset the impact of the pandemic on its revenues, operations and functions.
"We are putting forward the strongest possible case to ensure Wellington City and our wider region is well placed to take advantage of the financial assistance that is on offer," she said.
