Community Board 'special project' preferences released

November 11th, 2015
[by David Armstrong]

The results of the online survey by the Motueka Community Board on how to spend their Special Projects fund next year have been made public.

The fund, built from a targeted rate of $10 per year per Motueka ward ratepayer and totalling around $50,000, is used to create or improve infrastructure which is low on TDC's priorities but thought important by the Community Board.

Twelve potential projects were put forward for voting in October. About half of them were about footpath construction, and most of these items came out at the bottom of the poll results.

Sadly only 21 people took part in the survey, far fewer than in previous years when the poll was done mainly through an advertisement and clip-out form in the local paper.

Motueka Online received critical comments from several people about the online survey forcing the submitter to rate all 12 items, even ones such as footpaths which the submitter was not in the slightest bit interested in.

The list of projects in the ranking order according to the survey were:

Tidy up the damaged/untidy rubbish bins in central Motueka, in conjunction with the Arts Council.
Supply more bike stands in crucial locations around town, e.g. High Street, Recreation Centre, selected sites on the cycle trail or walkways where significant interest areas are located.
Construct a footpath from No 52A Thorp Street to Fearon Street, an area frequented by many walkers along Thorp Street.
Construct a water fountain/water drinking feature in High Street (e.g. Museum frontage).
Resurface the stretch of shared cycleway/walkway connecting Old Wharf Road and Thorp's Bush alongside the Recreation Centre.
Erect signs (three) at the entrance/exit points to Thorp's Bush highlighting the botanical significance of the bush as a remnant of lowland podocarp forest.
Contribute to the maintenance/road-marking for the Whitwells car park, acknowledging its use as a public car park.
Assist financially with construction of a new footpath from the Decks Reserve toilets, alongside the Kiyosato Gardens to Wilkinson Street. This is a heavily used section of grassed verge that would benefit from a concrete connection.
Construct a pathway along Queen Victoria Street between Green Lane and King Edward Street.
Construct a pathway along Poole Street, west of Atkins Street.
Widen Courtney Street (west) so that extra parking can be provided, along with constructing a footpath on the southern side, from High Street to at least the entrance to the Community Hospital.
Complete kerb/channelling and footpath along Queen Victoria Street, up to No 172 Queen Victoria Street (western side).

Comment by Jim Butler:
[Posted 21 November 2015]

The Motueka Community Board is to be congratulated on the production of a list of very worth while projects it is prepared to fund from its $10 rate. If and when these 12 projects are completed, they will be of benefit to many residents. My only concern is of item 4, water fountain / water drinking feature. If not carefully constructed, it will produce a mess and its maintenance, a high cost to ratepayers.

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