Next contracts awarded for Lakefront development
Further down the track the reinvigorated lakefront will be the catalyst for commercial investment in Rotorua, creating even more employment opportunities and attracting visitors from near and far, she says.
Our partnership with Central Government, who has funded half of this project through the Provincial Growth Fund, will enhance and grow our region. We could not be more grateful for this opportunity as we emerge from these challenging times and work to rebuild an even more resilient city.
Campbell Infrastructure's Project Manager Alister Campbell and Contract Manager Sanne van der Vliet, say they are thrilled to have been awarded contracts for this project.
"We are very excited to be part of the Lakefront development project which will benefit local business and provide an amazing space once completed for our local community, and also the tourists who visit our amazing city."
Campbell Infrastructure will initially start working on Stage 2 of the development. This involves refurbishing the existing Volcanic Playground. This work has been brought forward to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 response and to reduce delays to the overall project. Council has agreed to complete this work over winter, starting this July. The original scheduling of this work was to avoid having no playground available at the lakefront however the existing playground will now be under construction before the new playground is built.
There are a number of playgrounds and parks in Rotorua that have been refurbished recently and families are encouraged to explore these options as an alternative to the lakefront playground while construction is underway. These include the new Huia Lyons playground on Wrigley Road, Puketawhero Park on Te Ngae Road, Jean Batten Square and the new foot pools and basketball court at Kuirau Park.
Waiotahi Contractors are currently completing the enabling works in Stage 2 where the new playground will be constructed. Preload to stabilise the ground will remain in place here until early 2021. Campbell Infrastructure will then begin the construction of the new playground.
Stage 3 involves landscaping, lawn terraces and the construction of a shared pathway between the lake edge and the playground. This work will begin next year.
Stage 4 involves transforming Memorial Drive into a plaza rather than a thoroughfare. It will provide more space for people to gather and enjoy and provide more space for a larger variety of parking including mobility, motorcycle, and bicycle parking. The space will also be used for other purposes such as events and parades.
This work is expected to be underway by late September 2020. At this time, Memorial Drive will no longer be accessible to vehicles. A temporary thoroughfare across Memorial Drive, connecting to the current walkway between the lakefront and the spa development site, will be created for pedestrians and cyclists.
We'll provide more information on these next stages of work as construction gets underway.
Work along the lake edge continues with the foundation of the new boardwalk currently being constructed. You can see some progress shots of this work captured in our drone footage HERE. The other stages of work, including the development of the western end of the lakefront, remain in the planning stages.
Following the COVID-19 response and resulting lockdown period, all work programmes and budgets for this project are being assessed and reviewed. The full impact on this project is unlikely to be known until later this year.
More information about the lakefront development is available HERE and you can watch the most recent presentation made to Council about the project HERE.
In partnership with Central Government's Provincial Growth Fund, Rotorua Lakes Council is managing an investment of $40 million ($19.9m from the Provincial Growth Fund, $20.1m from Council) between now and 2021 to transform this recreational, economic and cultural resource. The lakefront design has been made possible through the support of our partners, the Gifted Reserves Committee (Pukeroa Ōruawhata Trust) and Te Arawa Lakes Trust. The design reflects the heritage and ongoing contribution of Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa to the Rotorua district. Together, our vision is to develop the lakefront into an outstanding recreational area that will benefit locals, support tourism, and encourage private investment, which will in turn create new jobs and benefit Rotorua's community.
