Over 40 Raglan people crammed the Town Hall Supper Room on the morning of Tuesday 12th to learn about placemaking from guru David Engwicht. Fresh from celebrating the completion of a major project in Paihia at the weekend, he told locals how the current local government model that moved responsibility from citizens to corporate managers didn’t work well and was unaffordable.
He outlined an alternative approach and said that it is was the small things that citizens could do that would make the differences that matter. Placemaking or adding vitality back to public spaces is all about that. After a quick photo show of some successes in other towns he led the gathering on a tour up and down Bow St. First he pointed out how the start of the median strip could be used as a gateway to the town and went on to add that while the median strip was one of Raglan’s greatest assets its use could be expanded. The TV Programme Seven Sharp was there to film the gathering and walk.
Emphasising the need for linger nodes to keep people in the street longer he showed how some of the current seats did the opposite. He went on to explain how the placement of furniture could be used to direct behaviour. In relation to the cars going through Bow St he said that the aim should be to make them appear to be driving through a park rather than driving past the park.
The community gathering returned to the Town Hall and it was decided to initiate two projects. One was to enhance and define a specific entrance to the Library and the other was to create a linger zone outside Raglan Vintage and Retro. Dave Hanna also offered to donate some large chess pieces to set up a chessboard on the median strip. Several people offered to volunteer to make these projects happen.
It was agreed to ask David Engwicht to return in February 2014 to run a one-day workshop. Councillor Baddeley said he would organise this.