Parking Changes for Central City As Annual Plan Approved
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HAMILTON citynews June 2017 PAGES 4-5 RUGBY’S A BALL: Sevens secured, Lions game SLOW DOWN FOR OUR KIDS: A road safety campaign has been launched to educate people about safer driving habits when picking-up and dropping their kids off for school. The campaign supported by NZ Police, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, local schools and the Hamilton City Council – all pictured here – represent how we need to work together as a team to keep our kids safe around schools. See full story on page 3. Parking changes for central city as Annual Plan approved A new trial parking system to help revitalise provision for on-street paid parking beyond parking options or pay an extra charge,” Hamilton’s CBD will start from October 1 this time limit. Mr Briggs says. this year. PAGE 6 At the 1 June Council meeting to consider the The final Annual Plan document will be The plan includes free CBD on-street parking Annual Plan a new parking proposal was put prepared for approval at the Council meeting PIPING ON: Brand new city water infrastructure for the first two hours, and then $6 per hour forward which was designed to address issues on 29 June 2017. for the third and subsequent hours, or parts raised by submitters. The Council’s Chief thereof.” Executive Richard Briggs says the revised plan adopted was designed to address the main Parking in the CBD: New parking technology – including sensors purpose of the Parking Task Force, which was and development of an app to allow payments • From 1 October there will be a trial of a to look at ways to revitalise the CBD. on mobile devices – is also planned, although new parking system in Hamilton’s CBD. parking meters will remain for now. The “The decision means the originally-proposed • Up to two hours free on-street parking. effectiveness of the trial will be reviewed targeted rate on CBD businesses will remain, • Current maximum two-hour time limit before the end of June 2018. which will offset some of the cost of the removed. Proposals for a change to the city’s parking initiative, while parking revenue will also systems were one of the main issues raised contribute. The remainder of the cost of • Third and subsequent hours, or parts by submitters to the Council’s Annual Plan this trial will be met through the Council’s thereof, charged at $6 per hour. existing operating budgets and there will process, attracting more than 400 submissions. • CBD businesses will pay a targeted rate to be no additional targeted rate for residential offset some of the loss of parking revenue. During the consultation period a free parking ratepayers,” Mr Briggs says. proposal was suggested. This was proposed • The remainder of the costs will be covered to be funded in part through a targeted rate “Research shows us the majority of our city through Council’s operating budgets. on households and a targeted rate on carparks are utilised by people for less central city commercial properties. This than two hours, so from October 1 most of • There will be no additional targeted rate PAGE 7 proposal, developed by a Parking Task these people will be able to come into the for residential ratepayers for the project. Force including Councillors, advocated central city and have no parking charges. CLASSIC CHARACTER: • The trial will be reviewed before Funding heritage building offering a maximum of two hours free If people want to stay longer than two 30 June 2018. maintenance parking in the central city per day, and no hours they can choose either off-street 1 hamilton.govt.nz /hamiltoncitycouncil @CouncilHamilton citynews Cosy corner of play in Steele Park Hamilton East children now have a new The new playground includes a range of playground to enjoy. new but familiar equipment – seesaws, climbing frames, an in-ground trampoline As part of the Hamilton Neighbourhood and a flying saucer – as well as themed East Plan adopted by the Council in 2016, decorative features in the concrete. a new neighbourhood playground has been constructed at Steele Park, one of Miss Barrie says through recent the city and suburbs most historic parks. playground projects, staff have also had consistent feedback on the community’s Maria Barrie, the Council’s Urban expectations of safety aspects, so those Landscapes Team Leader, says the new have been incorporated into the Steele playground has been constructed in the Park project and fencing as part of northwestern corner of the park, and the build. replaces an aging pair of seesaws in the southwestern corner. The placement of the playground incorporates the shade offered by an “During the public consultation on the existing stand of trees in the park. Hamilton East Neighbourhood Plan we heard very clearly from the community – “Grey Street is a pretty busy road, and we families wanted a new playground in have community sport played frequently their suburb,” Mrs Barrie says. on Steele Park – particularly club cricket in summer – so we do urge families to “We’ve responded to that feedback with be wary of what’s happening around the a nice new neighbourhood playground playground while they’re enjoying it.” close to the shops on Grey St and near the park’s toilets to make things a little hamilton.govt.nz/playgrounds CLAMBER AND CLIMB: The finishing touches are put on the Steele Park playground, which features several new easier for parents and caregivers.” pieces of equipment. Two-day closure Central City Safety for libraries Plan ready for review and renew systems upgrade Hamilton’s Central City Safety Plan is set Victoria on the River park and Waikato for a reboot three years after its inception DHB moving their head office into the All Hamilton City Libraries will close Ms Hawkes says the libraries staff in 2014. city centre. for two days next month while the appreciate the closure may inconvenience software system that helps the staff to customers, but the upgrade is essential and To complete the review project, a “It’s time to step back and have a look manage the libraries is upgraded. the closure represents a tiny percentage of Taskforce has been set up comprising at what the current issues are and what the annual opening hours for the libraries. relevant staff and councillors. The success will look like in the next three The closure will take place on Tuesday Taskforce has the authority to appoint years or so.” 13 and Wednesday 14 June. She says the introduction of Kotui won’t three external members from appropriate change what customers pay for loan items, stakeholder organisations. The current Central City Safety Plan has Amanda Hawkes, Hamilton City but the new system will modernise staff Libraries’ Digital Manager, says the two approaches; focusing on the public and customer access to information The Taskforce’s Chair Councillor spaces in the Council’s control, encouraging roll-out of the new library management on the library’s catalogue. system (Kotui) is a significant project for Angela O’Leary says the current plan more people to use the spaces and make has been successful but it’s time for a them feel safer; and providing help and the libraries service, and the work can’t “When they look online for items from review and renew. support for homeless and vulnerable be undertaken while the libraries are our collection, our customers will see open for business. people through The People’s Project. more information available and have a “We’ve come a long way in three years better user experience,” she says. “Because this is a digital systems and the central city and city as a whole The plan won the Fulton Hogan upgrade, we need to transfer information A mobile phone app for customers will is a different place. The collaborative Excellence Award for Community and material from our existing system also be rolled out as part of the project. approach between the Council, Central Engagement at the 2016 Local to Kotui,” Ms Hawkes says. “The most Business Association, Hamilton Police Government New Zealand Excellence efficient way for us to do this, and run Customers needing to return items they and The People’s Project has really Awards. tests on the new system, is when our have borrowed on the two closure dates delivered results under the current plan,” libraries are closed.” in June can do so by using the after-hours says Cr O’Leary. hamilton.govt.nz/safetyplan boxes at the suburban libraries. The library’s catalogue and eResources will “There are some exiting central city also be unavailable over the two days. hamiltonlibraries.co.nz projects on the horizon including the 2 hamilton.govt.nz /hamiltoncitycouncil @CouncilHamilton citynews Think before you biff Marketing material from the Council’s “At the conclusion of the Fight the waste reduction campaign has been given Landfill Bins or Bags campaign we a second lease on life as staff members wanted to do something innovative with follow the advice they’ve been giving our campaign collateral, and recycling the community. the marketing material seemed to make perfect sense,” Mr Fowles says. Six pull-up banners and three billboard skins used in the Fight the Landfill Bins “Obviously as the Council we want to or Bags engagement and consultation set a good example and set a benchmark campaign have now been recycled into for other business and ‘practice what we more than 50 items including ottomans, preach’, so to speak. satchels, pencil cases and laptop bags. “We thought this was an opportunity to The original Fight the Landfill campaign, demonstrate one of the many different launched by the Council in June 2016, ways of recycling and its benefit.” focused on urging the residents of Hamilton to think about the impacts of The idea has already caught on within recycling and the positive effect it can the Council with many departments lining have on the environment.