EASTSIDE COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Our community is so fortunate to have so many people committed to making the Eastside a better place for us all to live, work and play!
Check out below some the projects currently happening on the Eastside of Rotorua!
Eastside Community
Wellness Plan -
Te Ōranga Nui Rāwhiti Mai
Read the Eastside Community Wellness Plan here
The collaborative community-led approach of the collective has enabled the establishment of the Eastside Wellness Plan. This plan was developed in partnership with the Collective, local hāpu and Rotorua Lakes District Council. Significant input from residents, along with many local and national agencies such as Waka kotahi and Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation) was incorporated into the plan. Conversations began in 2019, the plan was consulted on in 2020, and was adopted by Council in July 2021.
The Eastside Wellness Working Group has recently been reactivated to start focusing on the Implementation Plan and how it can be actioned.
Te Manawa ō Owhatiura
This trial project aims to create child-friendly streets that allow all people to move safely around our community. Te Manawa ō Owhatiura will change the way people drive, walk, bike, or scooter through the area on their way to school, work, or the Whakarewarewa Forest.
The trial is based on the local community’s appetite for change to support active modes users. The streets involved in the trial include Owhatiura Drive, Iles Road, and Larcy Road.
What we’ve seen so far;
- Lower driver speeds
Initial monitoring shows that average speeds on Larcy Road and Owhatiura Drive have reduced by up to 25%.
- Streets feel safer
Early on-street feedback indicates that the new crossing points make people feel safe or safer than when there were no crossings.
- People are walking or biking through the area more
Over 25% of people interviewed on the street are now walking or biking to school more, or further, than they were before the trial.
Community feedback will be used to make adjustments to the design and will help determine if there is support for making any of the trial elements permanent.
The project working group is made up of Tatau Pounamu Collective champions, Rotorua Lakes Council staff, Lynmore Primary school staff, parents & students and Lynmore residents.
SH30 Eastern Corridor - Stage 2
Construction of Phase One (most of the works between Iles Road and Coulter Road), addressing safety and connectivity is underway.
Phase One improvements include:
raised safety platforms at Tennyson Drive, Tumene Drive and Brent Road
signalised intersections at Basley Road, Ōwhata Road and Wharenui Road
new three-metre-wide shared path from Basley Road to Coulter Road
new separate on-road cycling lanes from Iles Road to Coulter Road
four lanes between Iles Road and Basley Road, and between Brent Road and Ōwhata Road
new pedestrian crossings and refuges, bus stops and safety improvements
removal of right-turn out of Brent Road
removal of left turn slip lanes onto local roads to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
moving the signalised crossing from current location near Tennyson Drive to Puketāwhero Park.
Phase One received $35 million from the Government’s Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) funding for construction to support growth and development in eastern Rotorua – with a focus on the Wharenui Road area.
Keep an eye on the Rotorua Lakes Council Facebook page for regular updates!