Long Term Plan Hearings - Priorities

transport pyramidAt the Long Term Plan Hearings we highlighted the need to prioritise Cycling and Walking over other transport modes. If we're going to get value from our current and future investments in cycling infrastructure then we need to plug the gaps. Conversely, if we continue to prioritise motor vehicles, we're going to be left behind by other cities.

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Long Term Plan Hearings - CBD Development

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Yesterday at the Long Term Plan hearings we pointed to the lack of 'People' spaces in our CBD. Conversely we have lots, and lots of 'Car' space. Essentially, when compared to other modern cities, our CBD is inside out - much of our inner city public space is 'dead' space.

By restricting car traffic and encouraging more people to cycle and walk, we enable more creative use of our public spaces. Every weekend, when we use part of one of our car parks for the market, we see an example of what happens if we use some of our public space for something other than for parking cars. More recently of course, the all-too-brief closure of the top of Trafalgar St. showed what happens if we create spaces around people.

It's an exciting time, our city is evolving. While some retail may be shutting down this is creating new opportunities for small businesses and collectives of young creatives to move into the centre. We're also starting to see more residential spaces crop up.

It really is time to recognise and embrace the changing dynamic of our city centre. Rather than continuing to try and prop up an outdated retail and infrastructure model, lets start focusing more on the people that live and work here. Lets create public spaces that we can all enjoy and that attract people to Nelson. Lets develop our city into a creative, social hub for our whole community.

Bloomers and Tweed Ride - Friday 13th April

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Join us in celebrating 125 years of women’s suffrage and the love of biking.
There is an 1800’s dress code and riders will commemorate the same date 123 years ago that the National Council of Women was founded with Kate Sheppard holding the handlebars as chair.
Meet at 5:30pm at Founders Park. The ride will end at Melrose House, where corks may be popped. Men tolerated, if well behaved.

Tahunanui Pathways Questionnaire

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BNB has recently been working alongside Council, NZTA and other organisations on a fresh approach to the Tahunanui pathways project. As part of the process, the group would like more information from you on how you’d like to walk/cycle around or through the Tahunanui suburb. You can send your feedback via the simple questionnaire on the Council website (there will also be printed versions available soon). The questionnaire shouldn't take more than a few minutes of your time and the information will help ensure that the project has the desired outcome.
Please share with your contacts (including your non-cycling ones).

A Chain is Only as Strong as it's Weakest Link

It's good to see some progress being made to link the Railway Reserve into the city, but we're not going to reap the benefits of our cycle ways and the money invested until we have safe connections to the places where people want to go and they're not peppered with compromises that still prioritise motor vehicles.

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