Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was meant to have been in the resort yesterday to officially open the two upgraded CBD streets — Beach and Rees — however, fog meant his flight could not land.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers said the project was made possible by shovel-ready funding — in June, 2020, the Queenstown Lakes District Council was the first territorial authority to have such funding announced, and became the only territorial authority to have a shovel-ready project listed on the Fast Track Consenting Bill.
The Alliance, Kā Huanui a Tāhuna, comprising Waka Kotahi, Downer, Fulton Hogan, WSP and Beca, was established in September, 2020, to deliver "cornerstone projects" in the Wakatipu Basin, including the street upgrades and work started in January, 2021.
"While it took a little bit longer than initially anticipated, we are so incredibly proud of the result," Mr Lewers said.
"I’d like to thank the businesses ... who have been directly affected by the challenges presented during construction.
"Thank you for your patience, your openness to tell us when you weren’t feeling so patient, and your perseverance in maintaining business activity in the face of uncertainty.
Already the upgrades had improved confidence in the CBD for property owners and business investors, with 11 separate recent redevelopments along the two streets, and more expected.
Mr Lewers also paid tribute to the late Peter Hansby, council’s former property and infrastructure general manager, who died in January.
Mr Hansby was a "tireless campaigner" for improving the way people lived, worked, travelled and played in the district, and a driving force behind the town centre transformation, he said.
"His legacy can be seen right across the district, but nowhere more so than these upgraded streets.
"As I heard him say, many times, the scale of these construction projects is significant and the challenges can feel overwhelming at times, but keep the end goal in mind, it will be worth it.
"I think we can safely say that it is."
