A smart green city

Dave Burgess at the Dom Post reports:

Not content with its title as the coolest little capital in the world, Wellington is now hatching plans to ensure it offers the thrilling experience of a much bigger city over the next 30 years.

The Wellington 2040 City Strategy proposes using four goals to reshape the capital into a smart green city – which includes creating a “dynamic” downtown zone through a Central City Framework – over that time.

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the city council’s visionary document was multifaceted, and required buy-in from the community, otherwise it would never “capture Wellingtonians’ imagination or lead to success”.

There was a big focus on the central city because it provided the economic impetus for the region, was easily accessible, and was the capital’s collective playground. “It is the heart of Wellington and it’s about keeping that heart pumping.”

Among the plans for opening up a downtown zone was to revamp alleyways such as the Opera House Lane so they could be lined with cafes and bars. “It would be a much nicer use of space that is currently used by people to pee,” Ms Wade-Brown said.

That’s a good idea. The new Chews Lane has become well frequented.

New lanes could be created alongside existing buildings or built into new developments. The Oaks complex might be demolished to make way for a grassed area that would merge with Te Aro Park and Cuba Mall.

I remember when the Oaks was a happening place. Now it is a isolated ghetto.

I haven’t read the plan in detail, but I like what I see so far.