Zizi Sparks: Councils should consult openly and often

Rotorua's Te Manawa, which was upgraded from City Focus after consultation. Photo / NZME

OPINION

If a community does not have ownership of a place, it lacks heart.

I fear this is the fate of some of our local places.

Both Rotorua and Tauranga councils have grand plans for their CBDs.

In Rotorua, Local Democracy Reporting obtained documents showing high-level ideas for a new "civic plaza" and sculpture, an arts precinct, cycleways and a wooden courthouse in a new location.

The inner-city revitalisation could also include a "park-to-park corridor" connecting Kuirau Park at Ranolf St and Government Gardens at Hinemaru St, as well as special character precincts such as arts, dining and retail.

The council often consults on things, including the inner-city revitalisation strategy and redevelopment of city focus, but things like moving the courthouse, precincts and a new civic plaza were news to me.

I'm sure they will be consulted about in the future before they become reality, but I believe the community should be looped into things earlier.

In Tauranga, the council has just finished consulting about two options for a civic rebuild.

The first option included a library, civic whare (venue for council and community meetings), museum and exhibition space. It also included the development of the waterfront reserve, between Hamilton and Wharf Sts, linking the harbour with the civic precinct via Masonic Park. It would cost $303.4 million and take six years to complete.

The second option included a library, community hub and the civic whare, and would cost $126.8m and take 14 years to complete.

During the consultation it appears the first option - the Council's preferred - was the big focus. Concept images of the grand plans dominated consultation and it was hard, if not impossible, to find concept images for the second option.

In my view, it was almost as if people were being guided to make the Council's favoured decision.

On the face of it, revitalising CBDs is a good thing. The only downside would be its cost, but that is on councils to weigh up.

It is good to move forward and make aspirational plans, because standing still means there will be no progress.

However, I believe if communities are part of the decision-making process, they will care more, and feel they have ownership of the plans.

Councils should bring their communities along on the journey from the beginning and let us make up our own minds without steering us in a preferred direction.

Show us the options early, instead of when they are obtained by media. Have open conversations in public, not behind closed doors. And don't steer the conversation to a preferred option.