Otago's local governments are seeking roughly $280million in government funding for shovel-ready projects in a bid to create more than 2500 jobs and stop the flattening of the economy caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
For applications to the Crown Infrastructure Partners’-led Infrastructure Industry Reference Group, this week the Dunedin City Council identified 10 major projects — worth $211million — that it says would create 940 temporary and permanent jobs in Dunedin.
It also included in its application another $336million worth of projects it could do with further government support.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said the further tranche of projects at present planned over the next two to seven years that did not meet the immediate funding criteria could help to support "a sustained, region-wide economic recovery in the lower South Island".
The "shovel-ready" jobs that could be just six to 12 months away, and might qualify for support, included: $51.8million to extend the Peninsula Connection road widening and safety project from Portobello to Harington Point; $14.3million for the South Dunedin Library and Community Complex; $7.9million for the new Mosgiel pool; $6.1million for upgrades to Moana Pool; $17.7million for a film studio development, to support the city’s film sector; $60.3million for fresh, waste and stormwater pipe network renewals; $27.7million for transport network renewals; $14million for Kaikorai Valley wastewater overflow improvements; $6.8 million for road safety improvements and $5.2million for a community housing development.
The funding, if approved, would supplement the more than $100million already tagged for the projects in the council’s long-term plans.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult told the Otago Daily Times some of the projects were things the now-parked visitor levy would have been helping to fund.
The five "pipeline" projects were: the Queenstown Town Centre upgrade and arterials, a fast-track of the Shotover Delta Waste Water Treatment Plant, the Cardrona Wastewater Pipeline Project and Cardrona Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wanaka lakefront enhancement and upgrades at the Queenstown Events Centre.
Otago Regional Council operations general manager Gavin Palmer said the council applied for funding for seven projects, including one on behalf of the Clutha District Council.
Six were directly related to river management for flood protection: the $6.5million West Taieri contour channel upgrade; the $6million Riverbank Rd flood slip repair; $300,000 Albert Town rock buttress; $750,000 for flow management structures at Robson Lagoon; $1.5million for an Outram floodbank weighting blanket; and $1.1 millionHospital Creek detention bank mitigation after February’s flooding.
The seventh application was for the council’s share ($130,000) for funding of a stock truck effluent disposal site on State Highway 8 at Tarras.
Related Stories
Comments
The DCC still does not understand- no tourists for the next year or 2- so why do we need to have a road extension/cycle path? Pools/libraries/empty buses- essential?-no. Water/sewage-yes. What is Hawkins is smoking? Reduce our rates in line with the contraction in the real Dunedin economy and cut 20-50% wages of any DCC employee earning above $50,000 that do essential services! The rest can join the WINZ queues. That is what we want DCC, not your fantasy projects.
Also who is going to pay back all this currency/debt creation? Prudence and not recklessness is what is required- locally, regionally and nationally.
Pools/libraries/ buses- essential?-YES!
Define "road safety improvements", I note they get more money spent on them than community housing which means 'council' values "road safety" more than housing it's ratepayers. Bit of a joke really.
As an aside, are we still going to get stung with higher lines charges due to the mismanagement of aurora?, that has gone quiet.
I wonder if Councils ever wonder if Government runs out of cash?