Misero-mercenary at U of O

Just in, Rhodes says:

Naylor Love stiffed by U of O.
$100M Dental School to be awarded to Leighs Construction.

But…
Naylor Love’s consolation prize is the new $18M Otago Polytechnic Hall of Residence, where they were significantly more expensive than other local rival Amalgamated Builders, but scored much higher on non-price attributes, which gave them top ranking.

Amalgamated Builders, clearly not flavour of the month at either Polytech or University —it’s understood the same thing occurred at the recent Commerce Building Upgrade.

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Related Post and Comments:
1.7.16 No one wants to work for U of O
31.5.13 University of Otago development plans

For more enter the term *university*, *campus master plan*, *property services*, *leith flood protection* or *landscaping* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Parking Changes for Hospital Area

This item was published on 14 Jan 2014.

Some changes to on-street parking outside Dunedin Hospital are coming soon as part of measures to improve cyclist safety. The changes will occur in the block of Cumberland Street between Hanover and Frederick Streets and should be implemented in late January/early February.

Dunedin City Council Senior Traffic Engineer Ron Minnema says, “The objective of the changes is to reduce the risk to cyclists by reducing the number of conflicts between vehicles manoeuvring into car parks and northbound cyclists.”

The changes will also complement the wider cycle lanes. The changes involve increasing the maximum time period on the 13 pay and display parks from four hours to all day, removing the bus stop, installing no stopping lines immediately south of the entrance to the Hospital car park and construction of two extra mobility parks. That will mean there will be four mobility parks (two more than at present) and 2 P5 parks (one less than at present).

The Southern District Health Board, the NZ Transport Agency, the Automobile Association and the Otago Regional Council have been consulted about the parking changes, Mr Minnema says. The changes, which are part of short-term safety measures to improve cyclist safety in the central city, were discussed by the Council in May 2013.

Once the changes have been made, the DCC will monitor the on-street parks outside the Hospital on Great King, Hanover and Frederick Streets. The results will be discussed with the Health Board to determine whether any further changes are required on these streets.

Earlier in 2013, minor changes to parking took place at 17 sites in the central city. All these parking changes are in response to the Council in November 2012 asking the NZ Transport Agency to identify short-term measures to improve cyclist safety, as well as developing a long-term plan with the same vision.

Part of the long-term plan is a separated cycle lane proposal which involves two preferred long-term options for improving the safety of Dunedin’s one-way sections of State Highway 1. Consultation on this proposal closed on 6 December last year.

Contact Senior Traffic Engineer on 03 474 3706.

DCC Link

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Related Posts and Comments:
5.1.14 Norman Foster: SkyCycling utopia above London railways #ThinkBig
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.
4.12.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten greeted by DCC silence
17.11.13 Dunedin cycleways: Calvin Oaten’s alternative route
17.11.13 Cull and MacTavish… “Have you fixed the debt crisis?”
14.11.13 Cycle lane explosions and puncture kits (SPOKES grenades launch)
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal [how to make a submission]
5.11.12 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
19.10.13 Cycle lobby games and media tilts
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC [council reports]
8.7.13 Bloody $tupid cycleways and Cull’s electioneering . . . [route maps]
28.3.13 DCC DAP 2013/14: Portobello Harington Point Road Improvements
26.2.13 DCC binge spending alert: Proposed South Dunedin cycle network
22.2.13 DCC: Council meeting agenda and reports for 25 February 2013
31.1.13 Who? 2010 electioneering
21.11.12 Safe cycling -Cr Fliss Butcher

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
 

Judge Oke Blaikie finally said it

The Judge has spoken out, well ahead of the Vice-Chancellor who remains officially ‘mum’. He’s not saying this out of left field – we’re ALL disgusted with the fires caused by the students’ lawless behaviour in our public streets; and with the lack of collective responsibility shown by the University of Otago and City authorities.

It is intolerable that Dunedin emergency services, performing their roles responsibly, are having to bear the major burden year in year out.

The University of Otago Council plonkers and senior ‘ivy-leaguers’ need a wake-up call. Too shrouded in their own mist and comfy salaries, every one an island? Precious loves.

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### ODT Online Wed, 23 Nov 2011
Fears publicity harming varsity
By Matthew Haggart
The University of Otago might face a decline similar to Otago’s sports teams, as a combination of regional demographics, tertiary underfunding, and ongoing publicity about student unrest hit home, a university council member has predicted. The comments from Judge Oke Blaikie came out of left field at a university council meeting yesterday during a discussion on the institution’s budget for 2012. Judge Blaikie, who is also chairman of the university’s disciplinary appeals board, said ongoing publicity about student unrest and fires was contributing to a negative perception among parents of potential students.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Campus Master Plan

A blimming space odyssey.

University of Otago Campus Master Plan
A vision for the future
The Campus Master Plan sets out strategies for the future development over a 25-year-period of the University campuses at Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington.

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### ODT Online Tue, 18 May 2010
Enthusiasm for university vision
By Allison Rudd
A plan detailing how the University of Otago might improve its campuses and expand over the next 25 years received an enthusiastic and positive response when it was launched yesterday.

• Need to tidy ‘ghetto’
• Vast amount of space needed
• Leith could become city amenity

Written by an international team of consultants following a year of consultation, the Campus Master Plan was Otago’s chance to have an “outstanding campus”, vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg told an audience of about 150 invited guests.
Read more

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN ABOUT AS SUSTAINABLE AS FLY TO THE MOON. CAMPUS MASTER PLAN CONTAINS LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION. INWARD FOCUSED CAMPUS MASTER PLAN. WHAT ARE THE CONTEMPORARY PROCESSES FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION THAT INVEST INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WITH A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND OWNERSHIP OF PRACTICAL VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE. WHAT DOES THIS COUNTRY NEED BY WAY OF TERTIARY EDUCATION TO MAKE A POSITIVE SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND OUR PEOPLE’S LIVING STANDARDS. WHY DO UNIVERSITIES SEEM IRRELEVANT IF THEY BECOME THEIR OWN ISLANDS AND NOT A FULL INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CIVIC COMMUNITY. IS THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN BACKWARD AND ARROGANT. DO YOU PRIVATELY OWN PROPERTY THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT WANTS TO PURCHASE AND DEMOLISH BUT YOU FIRST HEARD THIS AT THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN LAUNCH AND YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN CONSULTED ABOUT IT – YEAH WELL JOIN THE CLUB. THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY AN EXPERT LOCAL TEAM FOR MORE ENHANCED RESULTS AND AT A LOT LESS COST. YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE MASTER PLAN IS WHAT IT NEEDS, PICK YOUR MEDIA FORUM THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG OPEN HONEST FUN CONVERSATION. THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN IS FLAWED. THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN IS A CHALLENGE AT THE VERY MOST.

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### ODT Online Mon, 17 May 2010
Student area a ‘ghetto’: report
A report on the future of the University of Otago’s Dunedin campus considers the student housing around the university to have lent a “ghetto” feel to the neighbourhoods, says Vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg. Writing on today’s ODT opinion page, Prof Skegg introduces the Campus Master Plan, to be unveiled this afternoon with the release of the 195-page “Options for Future Campus Development” report, compiled by international consultants.

“… the authors were shocked by the degradation of the residential areas surrounding the university,” writes Prof Skegg. “The squalid nature of many properties and the accumulation of rubbish are considered to have generated a ‘ghetto’ feel …”

The report envisages what the student quarter might look like in 20 to 25 years’ time.
Read more

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### ODT Online Mon, 17 May 2010
Opinion: University plan outlines ambitious outlook
By David Skegg
A University of Otago “campus master plan”, which looks 20-25 years into the future, is released this afternoon. David Skegg outlines the scope of the report and highlights some of the issues it raises.

The university commissioned an international consulting firm (DEGW) to lead a major planning exercise. The consultants brought extensive experience of campus planning and design in many parts of the world. Their brief was to produce a plan which can guide the development of our campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington over the next 20 or 25 years. The consultants worked in conjunction with other firms specialising in matters such as sustainability and pedestrian movement.

Read more

Post by Elizabeth Kerr

University of Otago Campus Master Plan

We’re heading to March 2010 for some Master Plan visuals and professional explanations, folks.

### Otago Bulletin Issue 19, 2 October 2009 (page 2)
News: Master plan begins to take shape
The University’s 20 year Campus Master Plan is beginning to take shape, with first drafts of some sections being presented to the Steering Committee last month. The Plan, which was initiated in March, is likely to take a whole year to prepare and will guide the development of the University campus over the next two decades.
International Master Planners, DEGW, have visited each of Otago’s campuses, and have met with interested parties ranging from University staff, students and executives to the City and Regional Councils to get the plan to this point. They spent the first part of last month in Dunedin intensively workshopping design options for the campus.
Manager of Strategy and Planning for Property Services Sue Larkins says making the Water of Leith a corridor through the Dunedin campus remains a strong element of the Plan, as does developing strategies for accommodating long-term academic and residential growth.
It is hoped a final draft of the Master Plan will be presented to the University Council in March next year.
Link

● Otago Bulletin is the fortnightly newsletter for University staff and postgraduate students.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr