City centre update - April 2022

Terminus VR still, Jess Johnson & Simon Ward, 2018

From an exciting interactive, virtual reality exhibition at Hastings City Art Gallery to a special Anzac Day light projection display at Hastings district libraries, there’s plenty to come into the city for this month and beyond.

While much attention has been focused on managing our way through the COVID outbreak, Council has also been planning ahead for when the peak has passed.

We are working hard on how we can roll out exciting event and activation ideas to encourage our community back to the city centre, when it is safe to do so.

In the meantime, work continues on our city centre upgrades and other projects in and around Hastings city.

Hop into Hastings this Easter

Hastings is open for business and our local retail and hospitality businesses will be super "hoppy" to see you.

Keep an eye out for our Hastings Happy Hoppers who will be out with Easter eggs for happy shoppers next week.

On Easter Saturday, bring the kids down to Albert Square between 10am and 2pm to enjoy the Hastings Hoppiness zone.

There will be loads of great Easter activities for the kids including face painting, egg and spoon race, hop scotch, egg decorating and an Easter photo wall where you can take some fun snaps!

Hop into Hastings this Easter weekend and join in all the eggcellent fun.

Central city pipe work

The pipe laying in the streets has been completed, with the Drainways team now going back to points across the new section of the network to commission and test. Two of those, at the Heretaunga St/Warren St roundabout, and the western side of Hastings St/Eastbourne St have been completed. The third, to the east of the Hastings St/ Eastbourne St roundabout, is due to be completed by Monday, April 11 (weather and COVID-affected crews dependent).

Once that one is finished, the team will move to the corner of Eastbourne St and Russell St, to connect the new network to a water testing point at that corner.

The final connection between the new and existing networks, at the south-western side of that same intersection, is scheduled to be carried over the week commencing April 19.

These final works will require short-term lane closures.

Heretaunga St/Warren St roundabout upgrade

The rebuilding of this roundabout is now in its final stages, with the paving expected to be completed by Friday, April 8.

Municipal Building paving and street enhancements

The Heretaunga St lanes outside of the Municipal Building are now open both ways and will remain so while the rest of the footpath paver laying is undertaken.

A further lane closure will be required once paving arrives to complete the pedestrian threshold crossing sections at each end of the block. That will be followed by a full road closure for about two weeks to complete the crossing mid-block. Dates for those are not available yet.

Further pipe work

A small pipe work project is required on the corner of Hastings St and Heretaunga St. While it will mainly impact the footpath adjacent to the Wesley Church car park, there will be an impact on traffic as two legs of the roundabout will need to be closed to complete the pipe connection. Council will construct threshold crossings at this intersection at the same time, to limit the number of road closures required.

Waste Update – have your say

The Ministry for the Environment recently announced a consultation to improve recycling called "transforming recycling".

Hastings District Council will be making a submission, and encourages all others effected by the proposal to also make a submission.  Key aspects of the consultation include ...

• Introducing a Container Return Scheme
• Improvements to household kerbside recycling
• Separation of business food waste

An Overview of this proposal can be found at https://environment.govt.nz/publications/separation-of-business-food-waste-snapshot-of-the-consultationSeparation-of-business-food-waste-Snapshot-of-the-consultation.pdf&clen=1438054

And the full consultation document can be found at https://environment.govt.nz/publications/transforming-recycling-consultation-document/ (Jump to page 105 if you are only interested in food waste for businesses.)

Submissions close on Sunday 8 May 2022.

• To send a quick submission head to  https://consult.environment.govt.nz/waste/quick-submission-transforming-recycling/consultation/intro/.
• More detailed submissions can be submitted via https://consult.environment.govt.nz/waste/transforming-recycling/consultation/

Activations and Vibrancy

To celebrate Anzac Day this year, a special Poppy Projection light show will be installed, displaying colourful imagery onto the back of the Hastings library in the evenings. This will be taking place from April 19 to 26 – more details to come closer to the time.

Funding available

Two Council funding opportunities are open during this month.

Single Year Community Grants - These available to a diverse range of groups delivering community services or projects across the district, providing innovative ways to help support the current and future needs of our communities. (Applications close May 7)

City Centre Vibrancy Fund – This aims to support activities which improve people’s experience and enjoyment of the Hastings City Centre. (Applications close April 30)

The Façade Enhancement Scheme, Waste Minimisation Fund and the Event Support Fund are open all year round.

Information on all HDC Grants can be found at www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/grants

Façade enhancement

The Façade Enhancement Scheme financially assists the owners and tenants of eligible buildings to upgrade the façades of their buildings. The aim is to preserve the characteristic heritage of our business areas and to encourage building owners to upgrade façades to improve the look and feel of our commercial areas. Follow the link below for more information and fill out the easy application form to apply for this fund.

www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/hastings/projects/facade-enhancement-scheme/ 

Ongoing activities at Council

Hastings City Art Gallery

Terminus: by Jess Johnson and Simon Ward April 30 – Oct 24

One of the most exciting interactive exhibitions the gallery has put on for a number of years, this is bound to attract and a lot of people.

Terminus is a virtual reality exhibition featuring the work of Jess Johnson and Simon Ward that will appeal to art lovers, children and those interested in gaming and Sci Fi.

Prepare yourself for a slippage of time and space as you put on one of the five headsets that will propel you into five distinct realms.

Check the Hastings City Art Gallery website for more details.

Hastings District Libraries

Check the Hastings District Libraries website to find out more.

7 April 2022

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