Arts Hub Debate

Community Wellbeing - Lifestyle & Enjoyment

Option 2

Residents supporting Option 2 believe that establishing an arts hub in Nelson will significantly enhance the city's cultural vibrancy and community engagement. They argue that such a hub would not only provide a centralized venue for arts and creativity but also foster greater collaboration and resource utilization across various community groups, including youth and artists. Additionally, the inclusion of multi-functional spaces for activities like workshops, exhibitions, and performances is seen as crucial for enriching the lifestyle and well-being of the community, making Nelson a more attractive place for both residents and visitors.

Table of comments:

Point No	Comment
25.6	Our preference is for Nelson CBD to a single building house art, library, and conference facilities in one place.  The Blenheim conference center is a good example.What Nelson really needs is a community building with the necessary support services wrapped around it that will allow 24/7 patronage
175.6	This will help to ensure a vibrancy in the city centre
281.8	This is a fantastic proposal and would be an amazing asset for the Nelson community.
412.8	I fully support council investing in our arts community, it's a vital part of Nelson's DNA and delivers significant value. I particularly appreciate the services provided by the community art hub and would like to see investment to secure its future.
447.8	The arts are critical in generating a positive vibe in the city! There is so much thinking and action in the arts community on how we can make our city the Arts Capital of Aotearoa New Zealand - as it used to be when I first arrived in 1982. We have lost that impetus and need to re-gain it. An arts hub will be pivotal for increased collaboration and better use of all resources and personnel committed to this area. The arts sector is on a roll - it needs a central hub to really capitalise on the momentum created by MakeShift Spaces and many others working in this space.
564.8	…be great to combine art hub with youth hub for a vibrant setting and get 2 birds with one stone.  They would complement each other as  the arts poses as somewhat high one the ‘cool’ factor with the youth and could bring a lot of worth to our community.  Other great combinations are daycares with senior homes.  Haha….getting off topic
642.8	Please try to involve a possibility to have indoor skateboarding as part of the hub. I don't need to be a whole skatepark, just a mini ramp that's 6m x 12m. Skate Nelson Bays will be open to help fund raise the money to have the ramp built
673.7	an arts space specifically for youth would also be great - if that could be included as part of the arts hub, that would be great.
693.2	as a Fibre  creative I would like to see space for exhibitions.
749.8	Nelson used to be defined by it's artists. We have many beautiful buildings downtown that sit empty that could be repurposed for art! Bring the arts back to Nelson and give us a large music/performance venue either in an old building or build a new one. This is vital to Nelson.
778.8	More space for community workshops. It would be great to have a multi use facility with art groups, cooking groups, yoga classes, craft groups etc being able to hire out for free if not for profit or at a low charge if for profit. We have such a huge community of florists, cake decorators, potters etc etc. There's potential for some really cool classes to be run, both as passion projects and a career via hire rooms. This would be excellent for people in their 20s to 30s as well as there is a severe lack of facilities for people my age here.
864.4	We recognise that art and culture is essential to people’s wellbeing. We believe money should be put into existing arts spaces that have been running on shoestring budgets.There needs to be consideration of the location, accessibility of the arts hub for a diverse range of people, lower-income households etc. Cultural Conversations would be interested in being part of a new arts hub. There needs to be recognition of the importance of language access and culturally appropriate resources to create an inclusive and diverse art space.
888.8	Purchase Cement Factory and create a new Art Hub in its place
892.8	Arts is Essential for our future
945.8	Overview: ‘Basic Assumptions’a) Climate Change: It was of some concern to see the LTP document subtitled“Beyond the Storm”, as if the recent storm events were an exception. However, onfurther reading I was pleased to see climate change is acknowledged as affectingour climate with the probability of more extreme weather events in and aroundNelson. The LTP does recognise the vulnerability of much of Nelson’sinfrastructure to the effects of weather; sea (coastal) and earthquake plus theprobability of regular on-going cost to repair; replace and upgrade infrastructure.This will be an increasing and on-going cost to NCC.b) Demographics: It was good to see the likely ageing population recognised (from21% to 26% over 65). This was stated to provide more on fixed incomes and howthat might affect rate increases. However, it did not make mention of how thatmay affect the housing needs. Older people generally look to downsize to smaller,easy-care dwellings such as apartments or units. This could/should free up largerhouse for younger couples? Plan Change 29 does make provision for this change.Plan Change 29 also states: “Enabling the intensification of development onland…………….that is not within areas potentially affected by significant naturalhazards” [My highlighting] This provision has certainly not hindered, to date, theproposed Mahitahi/Kaka Valley development in the Maitai Valley!c) Vested Assets: These are assets paid for by developers and vested to Council. Theassumption is that “vested assets will remain the same over the term of the plan”.However, is this an accurate assumption? I do not think so!Firstly it is agreed in the LTP that climate events are likely to be more extreme asin a) above. Will not this potentially INCREASE the maintenance of these latervested assets? I would say “YES”Secondly, this assumption makes no provision for the possible/probabledevelopment of Mahitahi/Kaka Valley during the term of the LTP. Thedevelopment area has steep slopes; and a flood-prone valley floor. Back-up waterfrom a large flood can be damaging enough, but stormwater if not contained onsteep slopes can cause serious damage to infrastructure, let alone down-streamdamage. This would all become NCC’s responsibility. It could even create aliability for buying-out houses if the damage was serious enough. Has this beenconsidered? I do not think so!Thirdly, there will be accelerated run-off from the hillside development inMahitahi/Kaka Valley. As we saw in Atawahai in the recent storm events (andpossibly other places) even with holding tanks in place, these only provide a shortdelay until overwhelmed by the water! And what of all the down-stream effects?Pollution; erosion and perhaps more serious flooding along the lower Maitai?Conclusion: I do not want to see NCC take over responsibility for a high-riskvested asset in the form of the proposed Mahitahi/Kaka Valleydevelopment. We have enough infrastructure at risk. Why take on more?The on-going cost is hard to predict, but it has been dismissed as “similar tocurrent” However other parts of the LTP acknowledge that extreme weather is anincreasing risk. As a ratepayer, I DO NOT want Council to take on more risk if theycan avoid it. That is not smart management in my view!I have objected to the proposed Mahitahi/Kaka Valley development from thestart. It is the wrong place for an intensive subdivision. It will not enhance thequality of life in Nelson/NCC ; it will in fact detract. The adverse impacts havebeen well-documented such that around 13,000 people have petitioned againstthe development.The storm events of recent times have highlighted the fragility of much of the NCCenvironment.One of the NCC’s Long Term Plans is to phase out commercial forestry from theland surrounding Nelson, and why is that? It was found that the land under pineforest was far more prone to slipping in heavy rain events than under nativeforest. (I was involved in one of the workshops where it was explained anddiscussed). Perhaps this suggests that for consistency, much of the Kaka Valleyshould be replanted into native forest?The Mahitahi/Kaka Valley is a development with very high-risk environmentalconsequences both during its development and once vested to Council. They areforeseeable risks that can and should be avoided. My understanding is that todate, the developers have not provided any modelling to analyse these risks, sohow can NCC simply “accept” that eventually the development will be vested toCouncil?I object to NCC being seen to support the proposed Mahitahi/Kaka Valleydevelopment by allocating funds to provide supporting infrastructure to this highriskdevelopment in a highly sensitive area of the Maitai River.Graeme Ferrier
977.8	Essential to Nelson's future
978.8	A thriving arts community is vital for community well-being. So we support this again, but as with previous comments - that all projects are viewed through a climate lens and therefore all steps of the procurement and modification process be as low-emission as possible.
1034.6	I feel that this would do much to establish a more vibrant Arts presence in Nelson and attract creative persons.
1038.6	The Arts is a key differentiator for Nelson which has been lost a bit over the years. We still have so much talent in the region, its just hard to see it or find ut. The Arts Hub is a fantastic idea to revitalise this sector and help put Nelson back on the map.
1085.8	I  fully support the arts scene in Nelson, it is one of the reasons we live here.
1153.8	there is a perfectly empty space in that big yellow or green building in Montgomery Square that has nothing happening with it. Why not put the art hub in there? Bonus: have it open on weekends and public holidays to take advantage of the markets on. Yes you loose parking spaces to it but I think that is a good use of a vacant building
1203.8	this should also include a music venue for 500 to 1000 people think the old artery
1219.8	With the destruction of The Hub in New Street Nelsons art and youth community has suffered, I fully support a new arts hub.
1249.4	As manager of the Refinery ArtSpace I firmly support the second option. Permanent premises in the CBD that provide accessible, affordable making spaces for the community can only lead to favourable outcomes. The Refinery ArtSpace  (Arts Conucil Nelson) provides an important programme of exhibitions and events that encourage community and innovation in the arts as well as being a connector and cruciable for other arts organisations and initiatives. A permanent home in the CBD will provide an anchor point for the creative community with the Arts Developmemt Agency housed there and along with strategic partners will foster a vibrant inner city creative culture that attracts residents and visitors and cements us as a creative centre.
1267.8	This needs to be progressed as quickly as possible.
1273.8	Arts is chronically underfunded, has the ability to bring people to nelson, livens up out city so it needs some extra support.
1286.8	I'm actually torn between options two and three, but if a suitable building can be found I'll live with option two. The arts is every bit as important as sports. What I ultimately want to see is a modern performing arts centre like Blenheim has - seating maybe up to 2,000 people. With amazing acoustics.
1286.8	I'm actually torn between options two and three, but if a suitable building can be found I'll live with option two. The arts is every bit as important as sports. What I ultimately want to see is a modern performing arts centre like Blenheim has - seating maybe up to 2,000 people. With amazing acoustics.
1324.8	But why just an arts hub?  Why not a community hub?  Still repurpose existing buildings.  It could have a community garden, community meeting spaces, community run zero waste cafe.  The wider community needs a hub in the cbd, especially as more people start moving into the city.
1412.8	This needs to allow community to participate not just watch professionals take part. Public interaction and participation in creating art is really important
1433.8	Arts HubTBCA supports Option 2 – the purchase of an existing building to refurbish and establish as a permanent arts hub in Nelson TBCA believes that a dedicated physical space for arts and creativity would further activate arts in the city centre by providing a workshop, gallery and office space as well as a place to connect, collaborate and coordinate efforts across the sector, allowing it both to deliver best outcomes and thrive.