Te Atatu Peninsula Town Centre
Introduction
Te Atatu Peninsula was first inhabited in the early
1840's with people living on the banks of the Taimata
Creek, growing potatoes, kumara, and other vegetables, and
digging Kauri gum for trade. The Te Atatu Peninsula
Town Centre came later. It began as a small group of shops
servicing an expanding suburban area, which came to life
following the construction of the motorway (State Highway
16) in 1956.
In the last 10 years the Peninsula has experienced
significant population growth and a changing demographic.
The people living on the Peninsula represent a broad range
of age groups and an increasingly diverse ethnic mix.
The Te Atatu Peninsula shopping and commercial area is
identified as a Town Centre in the Growth Management
Strategy for Waitakere. It is predicted that there will be
higher levels of growth in the centre than in other parts of
the city. These predictions are supported by recent
growth statistics. Further planning for this centre
has to respond to the needs of this changing population.
Town Centre Vision
The vision for the future of Te Atatu Peninsula began with public discussion in November 1999.
The community asked for:
- A 'Heart' to bind together the town centres commercial and residential areas.
- A Village Green where people can idle away some time and relax.
- A safe place, well lit, which also includes some special features such as public artwork.
- A 'people place' not dominated by vehicles and a great children's playground.
The Council developed a draft Concept Plan with the help of the local community, the
Council developed a draft Concept Plan, which incorporated a Village Green
concept and integrated the existing retail areas, with new
retail and commercial development. Following the
development of this draft Concept Plan the Council approved
funding for the re-development of Jack Pringle Park as a
Village Green, funded a number of new artworks in the Town
Centre, and worked with the community to revitalise the mainstreet by introducing themed lighting and street furniture.
In 2007 the Council prioritised a new programme of work
to review the (1999) draft Concept Plan and to finalise a
new Town Centre concept to respond to the needs of the
changing population and the local market.
This exercise began with a public meeting in February
2007, and a series of targeted focus groups in June and July
2007. Since this time the Council as assessed the
community feedback, considered inputs from the transport,
infrastructure, parks and urban design departments, and put
together a revised Concept Plan.
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Draft Concept for
the Te Atatu Peninsula Town Centre
Click to enlarge |
This Concept Plan breaks the town centre into seven separate where different activities occur. The Council's ongoing work programme will be to
consider how each of these precincts can be improved to better support the businesses on the Peninsula and the attractiveness of the Town Centre itself.
These seven precincts are: Mainstreet Precinct; WLT
Precinct, Community Precinct, Northern Shops Precinct,
Gunner Drive Commercial Precinct, Gateway Corridor Precinct,
and the Surround Residential Precinct.
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Mainstreet Precinct
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WLT Precinct
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Community Precinct
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Northern Shops
Precinct |
Gunner Drive
Commercial Precinct |
Gateway Corridor
Precinct |
Surround Residential
Precinct |
| Click each image to enlarge |
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| Te Atatu Peninsula Library |
Te Atatu Peninsula Library & Community Centre
Redevelopment
The Council has allocated budget through
the
2006-2016 Long Term Council Community Plan to refurbish
the Te Atatu Library and Community Centre. Work has
progressed in 2008 to consider options for the redevelopment
of these facilities. At this stage only a series of
conceptual drawings have been developed and will be taken to
the community for feedback.The library and community centre are located on the Te
Atatu Peninsula "mainstreet" and are adjacent to Jack
Pringle park. The Council has recognised that a well
designed and multi-purpose facility will be an important
part of creating a walkable and vibrant Town Centre.
The Town Centre Concept planning project has been
undertaken at the same time as options for the redevelopment
of the library and community centre have been considered.
Options currently being considered are:
Note: For the following you will need to have 
Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed on your computer in order to view and print this document. For
help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful
Tips.
Library and Community Centre design options (Size 1061K)
A preferred option is likely to be approved by the
Council in 2008.
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| Te Atatu Peninsula "Mainstreet" |
Community Consultation
The Council has approved a programme of community
consultation to finalise the Town Centre Concept and to
consider the redevelopment of the Te Atatu Peninsula Library
and Community Centre.
The most recent community consultation meeting was on 16 July 2008.
This will be followed by further reporting back to the
community in future.
Note: For the following you will need to have
Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed on your computer in order to view and print this document. For
help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful
Tips.
Te Atatu Peninsula Community Feedback and Consultation Meeting (Size
51K)
Note: You will need to have
 Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 installed on your computer
in order to view the presentations or alternatively you can download the free
Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer.
Apple Mac OS X 10.4 or later can download the free
ThinkFree Viewer.
Town Centre and Library Community Centre Presentation
(Size 2364K)
Jack Pringle Park
In 2002 Jack Pringle Park became a Village Green when
Pringle Road was diverted and the road through the park was
replaced with an additional area of reserve. This was
completed by a number of new artworks, planting and a
children's play area. Jack Pringle Park has continued
to play an important role in the Te Atatu Peninsula Town
Centre.
The
Reserve Management Plan has been prepared for the
Te Atatu Peninsula Town Centre Reserves, including Jack
Pringle Park. This is named the Te Atatu Town Centre
Reserve Management Plan and was adopted by Council in 1999.
This Reserve Management Plan will be superseded by the
draft Henderson Ward Local Reserves Management Plan which is
currently being prepared. The draft Henderson Ward
Local Reserves Management Plan incorporates all local
reserves in the Henderson Ward, including Jack Pringle Park
and the Te Atatu Peninsula Town Centre Reserves. This
draft Reserve Management Plan will be available for public
comment and review in late 2008, and will incorporate
landscape design proposals to Jack Pringle Park and the Town
Centre Reserves in line with the Te Atatu Town Centre
redevelopments.
For more information about the reserve
management plan review process click
here.
Town Centre Artworks
When Jack Pringle Park was redeveloped artists came up with concept plans for the pavilion and
maze as well as an entranceway to the green.
The ground maze
Designed by local artist Harriet Stockman, a ground maze
reflects the waves of the harbour side and mosaics of the
sea life. The maze is placed in front of the new
children's playground.
Beach themed playground
 Waves and sea animals alongside the ground maze form the
playground in the Village Green. The playground has an
imaginary sea area, with the surface moulded to look like
waves, rockers in the shape of sea animals, a boat, fake
rock island, jetty balancing beam and turtle with a smooth
surface of mosaics and pebbles for children to climb over.
Gateway and pavilion
Artist John Lyall, was commissioned to design a gateway and pavilion that expressed the notion of a village green and made reference to the colonial architecture of early Te Atatu. His quirky and eccentric design takes the elements of a colonial villa; picket fences, colonial lace, stain glass windows, etc , tosses them into the air and reconfigures them in a modernist construction. Materials such as corrugated iron and wooden poles also refer to kiwi architecture. The pavilion is both a shelter and a potential performance area.
Park furniture
Mathew Von Sturmer is a local Te Atatu Peninsula resident and artist/designer. He designed the tables and seating that are scattered in the park.
Te Atatu Peninsula Business
Improvement District
A Town Centre Strategic
Partnership Programme has been
developed in Te Atatu Peninsula.
The Peninsula's Town Centre became the
first town centre in Waitakere to create
a Business Improvement District - or
BID. The Te Atatu Peninsula BID
was launched on 16 July 2008.
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| Te Atatu Peninsula Business
Improvement District launch |
Te Atatu Peninsula Business
Improvement District Association
A number of town centre stakeholders have formed a Business
Improvement District Association BIDA as
part of the Town Centre Strategic
Partnership Programme. This process involves enhancing
their town centre in partnership with Waitakere City Council
with funding via targeted rate.
Members of the committee are as follows:
| Fiona Grove |
Chairperson |
| Malcolm Buscomb |
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| Graeme Smith |
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| Judy Beddoe |
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| Tony Winter |
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| Diane Voordouw |
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| Demaris Powley |
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| Nigel Hosken |
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| Ray Patel |
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| Paul Vlasic |
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| Serif Catic |
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| TBA |
Town Manager |
For more information or to get involved contact the chair
of the BIDA
Other Relevant Information
There are a number of planning documents and agreements
covering this area. They include:
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