Dunedin City Council is making good use of old pavers from the city’s main street.
As part of the Council’s Retail Quarter upgrade, pavers in George Street are being progressively replaced.
Council Central City Plan Project Director, Glen Hazelton says that rather than disposing of the old pavers, Council is providing them to groups and residents to use in projects which have positive community and/or environmental outcomes.
“We’re delighted to have been able to give out 32 pallets – about 16,000 pavers in total – to 14 different groups through an initial round of applications,” Dr Hazelton says.
“Recipients ranged from sports clubs and community hubs, through to health and social support services and more. It’s great to see these old pavers getting a new ‘Totally Georgeous’ lease of life.”
Isaac Construction – Council’s construction partner on the Retail Quarter upgrade – has also come to the party by offering free labour and assisting with site works on several of the projects which have received pavers to date.
The projects Isaac is providing additional support to are:
- Puketeraki Maara Kai – Pavers have been installed to create a more accessible space in the
Maara Kai (food garden). This will allow better access to raised garden beds. An Isaac crew
recently visited the Maara Kai to prepare the site, with in-kind assistance from Kennards
Hire, Cargill Contracting, while Dunedin Hiab and Crane Hire is volunteering its truck and
time to drop off pallets to all the groups.
- Tomahawk-Smaills Beach Care Trust – Pavers will be installed at the Trust’s nursery to
improve accessibility. The nursery is the hub of the Trust’s large volunteer base, which works hard to achieve positive environmental and community outcomes (e.g., by planting at least 2,500 native plants each year). Isaac will help install the pavers there later this month.
- Corstorphine Community Hub – Pavers will be used to help landscape the Hub’s community
garden and surrounding area for seating. Wheelchair users visit the garden, which can be
boggy at times. Paving will also be used to lead to a memorial bench, making the area safer for users. Isaac will help install the pavers there later this month.
“While all the groups which received pavers are doing fantastic work in the community, we considered that these three projects strongly aligned with our company’s values. We’re therefore delighted to have been able to reach out, provide further assistance and ultimately contribute back to the community in this way,” said Isaac Chief Executive, Jeremy Dixon.
