Judges impressed with design entries

The judges were so impressed with the quality and innovation of the Taupo Town design competition entries received, that an extra prize had to be sourced.

Mayor Rick Cooper said that it was a really hard decision as there were some fantastic ideas that came through. “We wanted people to think big and they sure have,” he said.

“Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who took the time to send in their ideas. We had such a hard time selecting the winning entries that we (Council) donated an extra prize so we could have eight winners,” he said.

Taupo Town design competition prize winners;

· Jonathan Simpson, Taupo Intermediate

· Cheal Consultants

· Rosemary, Daniel and Jana Stokes

· Michael Limbrick, Taupo Intermediate

· Bruce Morison, Veitch Morison

· Matthew Gee, Tauhara College

· Harrison Grierson Consultants

· Jason Rameka

Council officers recently spent two weeks out on the street outside Whitcoulls asking people what they like, don’t like and what needs to change about the Town Centre.

“One of the popular themes coming through was including more pedestrian friendly areas in the Town Centre and better links to the Lakefront and Tongariro Domain area. We have a real opportunity to do both these things with the ETA being developed and the existing State Highway 1 reverting to the Council to manage,” said Council’s Group Manager, Environmental Services Gareth Green.

The Town Centre design competition and consultation formed part of the Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan that Council is working on. The next stage is to review all of the public’s ideas and feedback and establish a vision and objective for the plan. Then a designer will come up with some potential design options for the Town Centre and for new commercial and industrial area’s. This will go out for formal consultation in mid-2009.

For more information on the Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan, visit Council’s website at www.taupo.govt.nz or if you would like to be added to the project mailing list for project updates email hsamuel@taupo.govt.nz.

Thank you to Replete Cafe, Plateau, Wings and Wheels Hyundai, Chris Jolly Outdoors, Hukafalls Jet, Taupo Bungy and Taupo District Council for providing the prizes. Competition entries can be viewed in the window of the old Century 21 Building on the corner of Tuwharetoa and Ruapehu Streets.