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Is this an uplifting vision for Paihia? Why?
Let us know what else you like/not like about the draft statements.

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7 Comments   |   Add yours

Another great meeting - well done to the whole team!

Just a bit of feedback for you - whilst my comment to demolish the Mall was facetious and flippant there is an element of truth in there. It’s important to develop the ‘look’ of the town soon so that some cohesive redevelopment can take place and after all there are plenty of empty shops there at the moment so may I say (tongue in cheek) perhaps the time is indeed right.

Oh and by the way a couple of typos in your presentation - compliments should read complements and I think it should be practice not practise on your slides.

Cheers.

By Jenny & Peter Hirzel on 28/10/2009

Thanks for all of you who are busy formulating the vision for Paihia - it is wonderful to see everyone working together, taking pride in the area and then sharing with the Community.

Obviously everyone worries about parking with all the new improvements being put in place - so thank you Mark for letting us know it is being addressed. 

My only concern so far with this vision is I think we need to cover Haruru Falls as well, someone mentioned signage that would be in the theme of the vision for Paihia as something we could do in the next year - would it not be better if Opua, Haruru Falls and Waitangi were not also included in the themed signage.  I embrace the vision but don’t want to have disjointed messy bits on the sides - I agree Paihia is the Focus - but lets keep it tidy.  A boardwalk/footpath/cycle path from Paihia (or Te Haumi/Opua) to Haruru Falls would be fantastic - and even if not the short term aim of Focus on Paihia - it should be in the long term vision and planning.  Anyone that drives the Paihia to Haruru Falls road regulary would see that it is a major hazard walking along the road to visitors (locals know it is not safe to walk it on mass) - but it would be beneficial to have in the vision a walkway/cycle path from Haruru Falls to Opua - as with the wonderful sculpture concept it would link the communities together.  It all relates to the long term parking visions as well - Haruru Falls - one of the only places with land available still that is flat - and in growth with the new developments Haruru Heights, River Glen and Watea and extra space for park and rides - it seems sensible to put in a walkway/cycleway for tourists and locals alike. Then instead of a park in ride - visitors could have the option of park and cycle to the beach.

Awesome work so far - but would like some more discussion on the linking of these parts of Paihia.

By Steph Godsiff on 28/10/2009

Congratulations Tania on your presentation tonight.  I’m impressed with your ability to draw in all the differing viewpoints but still keep everyone interested and on side.

I feel strongly that Paihia is the “heart” of the Bay of Islands.  “Core” sounds hard and narrow whereas “heart” sounds warm and welcoming.  Heart would fit in with Wiremu’s vision as well.

“Hub” should be left to Kaikohe - the “Hub of the Mid-North.” Please don’t take this away from Kaikohe - we must have a point of difference in the advertising of each vastly different town.

Jenny & Peter you beat me to it with “complements”!  But I would like to see the hyphen removed from “extra-ordinary” please.
We want “extraordinary” experiences, not “extra ordinary” ones!

By Nancy Shuker on 28/10/2009

Great meeting

Things we can do easily to get a run on the board
1/ one way system in Kings Road and Davis Cres with angle parking enabling the parking on the waterfront to be removed and a wide footpath inserted
2/ Weight limit for Paihia through traffic
3/ Signage Great Idea
4/ All new developments to have water storage facilities

By PeteR on 10/11/2009

I agree strongly with Steph Godsiff’s comments above.

I think there is an urgent need for a footpath/cycleway from Haruru to Paihia.  My husband is an avid cyclist and has had several close calls on this particular piece of road. And I too cringe when I see the many tourists walking back into town (after they have completed the Waitangi to Haruru track). The looks on their faces say it all - they are in fear for their life and if they are not, they should be. Will it take a fatality for something to be done about this treacherous strip of road? I think that it is very important for this to be included in the vision, if not immediate, then in the long term.

I also agree strongly that the vision should include the areas of Opua, Waitangi and Haruru Falls. These areas enhance the attraction of Paihia and I think it is important to link these communities also.

Thank you Steph for your insightful comments. I am sure that many locals feel the same. And thank you Focus on Paihia for all of your hard work and for finally giving us a forum to have our say.

By Tiffany Holland on 11/11/2009

I also agree that there needs to be a walkway linking Paihia to Haruru. Although, I think a better route would be from the bottom of Causeway Road along the river to Tahuna Road in the form of a board walk. The route would need about 680 metres of raised board walk similar to the one on the Waitangi-Haruru Falls track and could follow the original causeway route which is still visible on Google Earth. At the Tahuna Road end the original path along the coast has been carved out of a bluff and shoreline. It would be a simple matter to re-establish. This route would be a lot less expensive to build, much easier to build, more scenic, and definately safer. It would tie in nicely with the Waitangi track, forming a loop.

By Michael Champtaloup on 12/11/2009

Hello all, firstly a thank you to all of you who have left blogs on the paihianz page with your feedback and ideas. Thank you also to those who have talked to any one of us in the Focus group. It’s a real help hearing your comments and gives us an opportunity to say which way things are going…

With regard to why we have focused only on the CBD to Woolworths and Te Haumi flats- this was determined after our first community meeting when 90% of the evenings comments fell into 3 categories, - our waterfront and ocean, the state of our town centre as it is now, and safe, friendly community issues. So we had to start somewhere and this pointed to where was most urgent.

Many comments have been made here with regard to the our usual and consistant concerns, ie- parking, THAT mall, water quality both ocean and household, cycleways and the list goes on.  These reasons are exactly why Focus came together in the first place, but at this stage they are stage 2 and stage 3 focuses.

It has been our job, the Focus Working Party, to create a vision for our village, and we also found it differcult at first to get beyond the obvious areas in great need of attention. But we did look beyond it with a decent amont of poking and proding, to create a picture 5, 10, 20, 30 and in one or two cases, 50 years from now. We have come up with a culminated effort of thoughts, plans and our Vision Statement! So for all those in the community who have continually turned up to the Community Meetings, and all those who love our town… please come to the launching of our Vision Statement!

Wednesday the 25th November from 5.30pm at Scenic Motel. This is a cocktail evening with nibbles circulating and an on going visual display.
All Welcome.

By Working Party on 19/11/2009

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