South Invercargill - a vibrant and diverse community that takes the lead in its own future

1. South Invercargill - a vibrant and diverse community that takes the lead in its own future

2. Where in the world is Invercargill? Invercargill

3. Where is South Invercargill? Population 18,150

4. Today’s presentation • Some of the key defining events in South Invercargill during the last 50 years • Sketch the birth & development of South Alive • Teams and projects • Evolution, changes and challenges • Critical success factors • Results

5. A Quick History of South Invercargill • A distinct and proud area with its own Borough Council until 1956 • Tiwai aluminium smelter, built in 60’s, also built hundreds of identical houses for workers in South Invercargill creating an ‘industrial estate’ • Closure of Ocean Beach Freezing Works in 1989 – 900 jobs lost • Smell problem. 9 years of complaints, no action

6. A Quick History of South Invercargill • 6 primary level schools closed in South Invercargill 2004/05 (4 remain) huge loss of community. Govt. ‘experiment’ then ceased • South Invercargill houses become ‘investment’ properties – whole streets devalued • 2005 (mostly) failed attempt by new Councillors to get an urban renewal project running in South Invercargill • Mantra “don’t go south of the railway line”

7. A Quick History … So, by 2011 South Invercargill residents were: • Proud and staunch, but hurting from a number of economic, government and other changes • Feeling little support, unequally treated, years of neglect. Many feeling angry with Council

8. Forward to 2011 • Council agrees to establish an Urban Rejuvenation Portfolio that would fund community led rejuvenation projects • A contract facilitator was hired in Dec. 2011

9. Dec 2011 – Dec 2012 Dec 11 – Feb 12 Shoulder tapping to form Steering Group Feb 12 First meeting Steering Group with 26 people. Valentines Day! Feb - Apr 12 Group planned launch and public meeting, developed name/brand Apr 12 First public meeting. Action groups formed around priority areas. Began projects Oct 12 South Alive opened an office Dec 12 Became a charitable trust

10. And so was born, The South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Project was born Vision A vibrant and diverse community that takes the lead in its own future Mission Empowered by our strengths as a community, we will build a place to live and work that engenders pride and inspires us

11. Trustees Service clubs, education, business, cultural groups, neighbourhood support groups, residents • Robyn Hickman, Aurora College (Chair) • Colin Anderson, Rotary South • Margaret Cook, Habitat for Humanity • Jan Duncan, Local resident / Osteopath • Key Frost, formerly Pacific Island Trust, now Corrections • Marie Crowe, Neighbourhood Support • Peggy Peek, MurihikuMarae • Geoff Thompson, Ratepayer • Gayle Hammond, Resident, Nurse

12. Strategic Plan 2013-2015 Goal 1 – UPGRADE Make South Invercargill look better and work better by improving beauty and function Strategies • Beautification of public spaces • Increase and improve amenities Goal 2 – COMMUNITY Develop community identification, pride, participation & connection Strategies • Events and projects that bring the community together, increase participation and pride and showcase the community • Communicate and promote achievements

13. Strategic Plan 2013-2015 Goal 3 – RESOURCE Sufficiently resource South Alive in volunteers, funding and stakeholder support Strategies Volunteer recruitment, partnerships for funding and in kind, support from key stakeholders Goal 4 – CAPACITY Continue to build the capacity of South Alive as an effective organisation Strategies Ensure Board is competent, compliant and locally connected Effective systems and processes for performance measurement and financial management

14. South Alive Current Structure Structure reflects priorities identified and voted by public

15. Team AchievementsMay 2012- August 2014

16. Communications - Branding

17. Communications - Signage Lapel badges Hats Bumper stickers / letterbox labels etc Double sided flag

18. Printed high-viz jackets

19. Sub-branding • The ‘mother ship’ - South Alive • Team e.g. Arts, Beautification etc • Projects e.g. Community Artspace, Zero Rubbish

20. Communications - Media Newsletter - A3 page, 1x month in free weekly community newspaper. Media Articles Print, Television Averaging three articles/month Website: southalive.org.nz Facebook: facebook.com/southalive

21. New Website allows on-line sign up vols & zero rubbish

22. Beautification Group: Operation Zero Rubbish GOAL To get every street and park in South Invercargill adopted and kept free of rubbish ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR 115 streets and 8 parks adopted by over 300+ volunteers including kindergartens, school classes, scouts, elderly, families, beneficiaries

24. Zero Rubbish: Real Estate Sponsorship

25. 26/7/13

26. Beautification Team - PlantingPop-up flower plots, hanging baskets, gateways identification Before After

27. Hanging Baskets

28. Fruit and Nut Group • 71 fruit trees in 11 parks + trees in schools • Fruit tree grafting workshops • Pruning workshops • Mulch, weed and mow orchards • Raise all own funds

29. Housing Action Team • Consistently an important issue • Group surveyed all houses in priority suburb. Organised discounts & information evenings for residents – ‘speed dating’ • Looking at projects to demonstrate clean /efficient energy and retro –fitting a house

30. Housing Action Team • Initiated a programme by Council to clean up untidy overgrown sections • Autumn and Spring garden competitions • 138 sections identified • 95 cleaned up by owners or by Council and billed = 60% reduction in untidy and overgrown sections Before After ->

31. Arts Group • Originally formed in 2012 (choir, school art) • Reformed late 2013 • Main project now establishing and running Community Artspace • Gallery • Space for art classes, other courses, expos, meetings (ties in to South City research) • So far, 6 exhibitions, 6 adult and 5 childrens art classes • Now doing refit all over again in new space!

32. Opening of first exhibition

33. Dog Park Establishment • First Dog Park approved by Invercargill City Council. South Alive ‘took all the running’ until approved. Now has supervisory & liaison role

34. Strengthening Neighbourhoods • Neighbourhood Project Fund Funded church garden for community, upgrade of school walkway, fitness classes at outdoor gym, mural art

35. South City Shopping Area • South City is the hub of South Invercargill • Been in physical decline for years, esp. the mall • Poor amenity value • Situation seen by locals as some reflection on them / their value • Always ‘top of the list’ of issues • We have placed a high value/priority on it’s transformation

36. But what to do? • Started with clean-ups

37. We decided bigger change was needed. We did research, got design help Consulting local businesses Consulting primary & secondary students

38. Main Points • Lack of colour and planting • No civic space • Some poor tenancies • Greatanchor shops • The Plan • Street upgrades • Mall improvement • Community Park • Large scale art

39. Big Art – a 7.5m structure • A donor stepped forward with $100k • We ran a nationwide competition, have selected a winner and are negotiating the contract • Will be first public art in South Invercargill – a short block from South City Art City (just kidding) • Within a block, we’ll have the sculpture, community gallery, arts hub, large scale mural panels on Bin Inn wall and other fence murals

40. Street Upgrades – creating civic space

42. South Alive has developed a relationship with mall owners • We propose a work list and in exchange we offer to do some things ourselves. Since 2012, the owners have: • Repainted rusty iron work on major street frontage • Painted lines for parking in carpark, established disabled parks • Cleaned lightshades inside and replaced bulbs • Cleaned front and back ‘chapel’ windows • Repaired one set of automatic doors • Repaired broken signs at carpark entrance. Paid for replanting of entrance gardens • Fixed outside flood lights in car park • Repaired the seriously leaking glass roof • Provided South Alive with a free office, and free space for our Art Gallery

43. And in return, South Alive has • Often obtained the quotes for work and organised the contracts for the owners’ jobs • Installed hanging baskets along the main street including automatic watering system • Designed, commissioned, painted and funded mall seating • Fixed & cleaned the toilets (broken walls, windows etc) • the mall is different, ‘bad’ tenants left, things on the way up instead of on the way down

44. Our office & some of mall seating

45. In our office with a Rebuild Kaiapoi

47. Creating a community park (back of the mall)

48. Community Park ‘before’ – May 2012 Derelict → burnt house 34 tonnes rubbish Rusty rubbish skip

49. Community Park Clean-up – May 2012

50. Community Park Area: Cleaned Up