Community collaboration leads Wood Street revitalisation project

After months of planning, the Wood Street revitalisation project at Mangawhai Heads shopping centre really got rolling this month, with key changes implemented following the latest community co-design workshops.

The project was initiated by the Mangawhai Business Association, who first approached Kaipara District Council in 2019 wanting a solution to ease the significant traffic congestion and pedestrian safety issues in and around Wood Street.

Mangawhai Business Association chair Alan Corkin said with changes the area could better accommodate local residents and the influx of summer visitors wanting to access the Wood Street area.

“Parking is essential to the health of the businesses in the area, but cars create congestion problems and safety concerns,” he says. “The new layout attempts to resolve these issues and encourage the public to spend more time in Wood Street, ultimately benefiting the local retailers.”

Using a ‘tactical urbanism’ approach, the Council has been collaborating with the Mangawhai Business Association and community and testing layout and design, to create a more people-friendly area. The latest interim design, in place and tested from December 2020, is 90 percent funded by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, as part of their Innovating Streets programme.

Changes are building on last year’s trial and ongoing community co-design workshops held through 2020. Some of the key changes include the one way traffic system on Wood Street, parking reconfigurations and upgrades, increased shared space, clearly marked pedestrian areas, and demolition of the old fire station.

There are further improvements to be implemented before Christmas, including wheelstop installation in the rear carpark, a concrete pour in the new public space on the old fire station site, more signage, and improved pedestrian access across Top Catch and Mean Burger.

Mangawhai Programme Delivery Manager Tim Manning says it’s been great to have the community involved in directing the design of Wood Street.

“With the iterative ‘tactical urbanism’ approach we’ve been able to try out ideas and build on them,” says Manning. “There are regular opportunities for the community to let us know what they think, so the project team can gauge what's working and what's not. If something isn’t working, we can change it, so we can keep improving the area.

Future changes will be based on real-time feedback he says.

Kaipara District Council Community Advisor Gail Fotheringham says community collaboration has been integral to the success of the interim design.

“The Mangawhai Business Association has really led the way on this project. All of the changes have been collaborative, through multiple co-design workshops held throughout this year. Each community workshop has informed the next one.

“The technical team has tried to realise multiple themes in an area that was not originally built to cope with the increase in population, vehicle size and volume that we are now experiencing. I want to acknowledge the work of the various community groups and members working so hard on this project.”

Mangawhai Shed members banded together to build the timber seating for many of the new shared space areas.

The Council parks team led a volunteer day with the community, planting low maintenance and drought resistant native plants. The planters were provided by a local concrete company.

The road artwork is spearheaded by local artist Aaron McConchie, in collaboration with Mangawhai Artists Incorporated. The group ran a volunteer day getting locals painting.

“The overall design for the painting is of the connection to the sea and the natural environment below the waves,” says McConchie. “The street painting is the first step in defining the personality of Wood Street. While there is more painting to complete the artwork throughout the summer, we couldn’t have got this far without the efforts of our great community volunteers.”

§ Together with Northland Regional Council, Kaipara District Council has also reinstated the free bus service for the busiest part of the summer holidays. The Village to Beach Loop service will run from 10am to 5.30pm from December 27 until January 17, and then on weekends and public holidays through to February 8.

“Parking is essential to the health of the businesses in the area, but cars create congestion problems and safety concerns.”

Donated concrete troughs were converted to seating by the team at The Men’s Shed.

Community meetings allowed everyone to have a say in the new Wood Street plan.

Planting day added some greenery to the beautification of the new layout.

Volunteers painted public spaces with a blue and green water theme.

New solar powered bins are also self-compacting.