The South Dunedin retail centre revitalisation plan aims to:
The South Dunedin retail centre revitalisation plan aims to:
- Re-establish the economic role of the South Dunedin retail centre as a retail destination for the city by developing it into a place where people want to visit and spend time.
- Restore the social role of the centre as a place that provides opportunities for residents to make regular contact with each other while engaged in routine activities.
Actions identified in the Plan will meet at least one of the following objectives and, cumulatively, will achieve the overall aims for the retail centre.
- Help stimulate economic revitalisation through a programme of measures in close collaboration with the local community.
- Improve the functionality, comfort, safety, attractiveness and convenience of streets within the retail centre to emphasise distinctive aspects of the area.
- Provide more opportunities for people to get to know one another or to maintain existing relationships.
- Improve the quality and convenience of travelling to and from the retail centre using transport other than cars.
- Promote a wider, holistic view of movement and circulation in South Dunedin and the wider city regardless of transport mode and develop strategies that promote and encourage the most energy and spatially efficient forms of movement.
Outcomes so far
In 2012 extensive improvements were made to many features of the South Dunedin Retail Centre. These included:
Improvements to King Edward Street intersections with Hillside Road, Lorne Street, and McBride Street.
The improvements aimed to enhance pedestrian safety and convenience, traffic safety, the general appearance of the area, and to provide places for people to rest.
Increased street furniture and plantings.
The timber and metal materials for the street furniture and pavers were specifically chosen to strengthen the built character of the area. Native plants were selected for their suitability in the local conditions and links to the landscape.
Lorne Street Pocket Park.
This previously under-utilised link between King Edward Street and Rankeilor Street now has new play equipment, new seats and tables, rubbish bins and new trees.
Facades Grant Scheme.
A total of $82,467 was committed to provide a one-off grant for South Dunedin building owners for materials, equipment hire and labour for cleaning and painting facades, and towards veranda maintenance work for facades that face onto King Edward Street. Thirty separate business facades were improved. The immediate outcome of the initiative is a cleaner, tidier looking street with freshly painted facades on several blocks along King Edward Street. The initiative also helped build partnerships between building owners and DCC staff.