Octagon: What?! DCC pointy heads actually care about small businesses?

So they should.

The following report will be tabled at the Council meeting to be held on Monday 3 November 2014 at 2:00pm (Council Chamber, Municipal Chambers).

█ Report – Council – 03/11/2014 (PDF, 1023.1 KB)
Options to Trial Pedestrianisation in Lower Octagon and Lower Stuart Street

Octagon to Steamer Basin, cherry stains by whatifdunedin

█ Octagon Webcam

█ [Agenda and Other Reports, including Financial for Monday]

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The “do minimum” option – one of five options councillors will consider – has the support of lower Octagon and lower Stuart St business owners and retailers, who have banded together to oppose any road closures.

### ODT Online Fri, 31 Oct 2014
Council cools on Octagon trial
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council may back away from trialling any ban or restriction on vehicles in the lower Octagon and lower Stuart St. Council staff are concerned rushing any “pedestrianisation” trial in the area could be costly and potentially have negative effects if it goes ahead without proper investigation.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
19.10.14 Dunedin: Randoms from inside warehouse precinct 18.10.14
● 3.10.14 DCC: Octagon entrée to more spending
● 28.9.14 “DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
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
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
● 21.10.13 Harbourside: Access to a revamped Steamer Basin…
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers
● 26.10.11 Dunedin Harbourside: DCC “caved”

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: etourism.co.nz – Octagon aerial; pxm-tut.com – cherry

DCC: Octagon entrée to more spending

From the DCC website:

The Octagon Upgrade

The Octagon is Dunedin’s key central public space. Its form defines the central city and the area has great historic, social, cultural and economic significance. As a consequence, the Octagon has a special place in the heart of Dunedin residents.

Looking to the future, there are a number of challenges and opportunities for managing, protecting and enhancing the Octagon. These include providing enough public space, improving the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and investigating traffic use.

We also need to look at how to provide a safe environment both day and night, and how to reduce conflicts between different user groups and ensure commercial and non-commercial groups can both benefit from the area. Also to be considered is monitoring the health and future of the plane trees and appropriately recognising the historic and cultural significance of the area and its important heritage buildings. Other issues include improving urban amenity and the role of public art.

An initial concept put forward by consultants proposes a staged approach to the Octagon:
● Stage one would focus on improving pedestrian and public space in the lower Octagon within the road reserve outside existing bars, cafes and nightclubs on the northern side of the Octagon
● Stage two would focus on improving pedestrian and public space in the lower Octagon within the road reserve outside the Regent Theatre and neighbouring cafes, bars, and businesses
● Stage three would focus on the upper Octagon and the reserve area in the lower Octagon. The idea is to better link the two sections of the Octagon, maximise the area of usable public open space and views of significant heritage buildings, and look at traffic flows.

However, at this early stage no design has been chosen for any upgrade to the Octagon. The Council is keen to hear how people see the future of the Octagon and what they would like to see in the area, before launching a formal consultation process to discuss future options.

Aims
● To provide an attractive public open space in the central city
● To improve safety in and around the Octagon
● To increase room for pedestrians and make the area more vibrant and people-friendly
● To enhance opportunities for businesses around the Octagon
● To provide opportunities for a range of users, both day and night
● To provide a setting for key city events
● To respect and enhance the historical importance of the Octagon

Proposed improvements may include
● Pavement improvements
● Adjustments to road layouts
● New bins and seating
● Interactive play equipment and/or public art
● Enhanced lighting
● Street trees and planting improvements
● Cycle racks

Status
● Project planning underway
● Consultation to be programmed

Associated initiatives
● Princes Street upgrade
● George Street upgrade
● Pocket parks
● Improvements to Queens Gardens and improved links to neighbouring tourist precinct
● Upgrade of Exchange Square

DCC Link

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2011 concept for redevelopment of The Octagon up for debate again at last night’s Dunedin City Council CBD planning workshop:

The plan was not a proposal, and would need to be reconsidered by the council and implemented over time, but “may be able to happen”. –Kobus Mentz, Urbanismplus (Auckland)

### ODT Online Fri, 3 Oct 2014
Reimagined CBD proposals heard
By Chris Morris
Visions of a redeveloped Octagon, a more pedestrian-friendly George St and a buzzing network of free buses took centre stage at a Dunedin City Council workshop last night. The ideas flowed as about 45 people gathered at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery for a second night to share their views on the future of the city’s central business district.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
● 28.9.14 “DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
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
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Octagon Webcam; DCC Graphic – Artist impression (2011)

“DCC entitlement” about to ramrod change at CBD #manipulation

For the groupies…..

Dunedin City council – Media Release
Help Shape the Future of Dunedin’s CBD

This item was published on 26 Sep 2014

Do you have a vision for the future of Dunedin’s central business district?

Whether you’re a retailer, resident or property owner, you are welcome to attend a free public workshop next week focusing on the future look and feel of the CBD. This discussion will build on feedback from earlier workshops on the Central City Plan (2011), the Warehouse Precinct Revitalisation Plan (2012) and Princes Street (2014).

The goal of the workshops is to hear people’s ideas and aspirations for the rest of the CBD, from the Octagon to the tertiary precinct, including George Street, lower Stuart Street and the surrounding streets.

These workshops and other comments received will feed into [WTH] transportation and amenity improvement projects in this area over the next decade.

[Oh no, not Mr Mentz AGAIN] Next week’s interactive workshop, which will be led by Kobus Mentz of Urbanism +, will be held on Thursday 2 October, 6pm to 8pm, at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

The DCC will also be working with the Otago Regional Council to look at the future location of a central city public transport hub. Feedback from the workshop will also link in with consultation on the central city cycle network.

█ [Love the extent of warning, all about bulldozing pre-envisioned DCC plans through via “Insider-Stakeholders”] Stakeholders in the area have been invited to a workshop on 1 October.

█ People [for rubber stamp duty] wishing to attend the public workshop on 2 October need to RSVP to centralcityplan @ dcc.govt.nz by Tuesday.

█ If you cannot attend the workshop, you can email your ideas and priorities for the future of the CBD to centralcityplan @ dcc.govt.nz [because DCC’s good at stealing your complementary ideas to push staff advancement and salaries, not to mention extending Mayor Daaave’s political agenda]

Contact DCC on 477 4000

DCC Link

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Related Posts and Comments:
24.9.14 Dunedin old boys, councillors & staff collude on 5-star accommodation
● 5.8.14 DCC staff-led CBD projects that impact ratepayers…
4.8.14 Cr Wilson’s integrity ‘in tatters’
23.6.14 DCC Annual Plan 2014/15 + Rugby and Rates
● 22.6.14 Vogel Street Heritage Precinct (TH13)
22.5.14 DCC Transportation Planning —ANOTHER consultation disaster
7.5.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 hearings
6.5.14 Roading network screwed by council staff
● 30.4.14 Octagon mud
21.4.14 Dunedin economic development strategy — low flying Year 1
1.4.14 HOTEL Town Hall… Daaave’s pals from… [April Fool’s?]
14.1.14 DCC: Hospital area parking changes #cyclelanes
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
11.11.13 DCC: Councillors delegated street furniture decisions to staff
8.11.13 Dunedin Separated Cycle Lane Proposal
5.11.13 DCC, NZTA: Cycle lanes controversy
24.9.13 Mediocrity and lack of critical awareness at DCC
4.9.13 Draft Dunedin City Transport Strategy
8.3.13 Stupid bid for two-way highway ditched for now #DCC
31.10.12 Cull’s council takes business away from retailers

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: DCC Webmap – Inner city Dunedin