21/04/2005

Oto on track for new-look $1 station

By KYLEE BRUCE

The hunt is on for an exciting new tenant who will utilise Otorohanga's soon-to-be renovated railway station.
Three-dimensional plans for the new-look station were circulated during an Otorohanga. Community board meeting last week, with builders expected to begin work shortly. The railway station renovations have been a long-term project for Otorohanga District Council, who purchased the 1924 building from Transit New Zealand. in 2001 for just $1. Otorohanga Community board's railway station committee received the required funding for the renovations several years ago, with $10,000 from Trust Waikato and $30,000 from the Lotteries Commission.
Railway station committee chairperson Liz Cowan said the project aims to restore the station back to its former glory with added improvements.
"It is a nice little building - it's worth doing it up."
The project includes a full renovation of the exterior, which Mrs Cowan said would give the building a more attractive street appeal and ultimately improve the overall appearance of Wahanui Cres.
The roadside past the railway station to Otorohanga District Council building will also be kerbed and channelled.
Rather than dramatically changing the appearance of the station, renovations will follow the original character of the building.
"The whole building blends to be one unit," said Mrs Cowan.
A bus shelter will be installed to the south end of the station and a deck built on the street side. The interior of the building will be stripped an, cleaned, allowing the new tenants to install fixtures they require.
The original rimu tongue and groove will berestored.
Mrs Cowan said she envisioned several concepts for the station, including a cafe, gallery, antique shop or information centre.
"It would just suit itself to these concepts very well."
She envisioned the future tenants to be "creative, inventive people who would like a classy heritage building"
"Someone will see the commercial opportunity in it," she said, urging interested parties to contact a local real estate agent before approaching council for a lease.
"Everything is open to negotiation." With Otorohanga being the from door to Waitomo, Mrs Cowan said she hoped the future tenants would see the tourism and business potential in Otorohanga and would be someone who would have a positive impact the town. With lots of buses and trains stopping in the proximity of the station, Mrs Cowan described the area as "vibrant".
She said having a renovated railway station in Otorohanga also offers something different to residents and visitors as many old stations throughout New Zealand have been demolished.

Tourism Walkato listens

The needs and wants of Otorohanga are being listened to by Tourism Waikato, according to Otorohanga Community Board member Liz Cowan.
Mrs Cowan, who is also a member of the Tourism Waikato Advisory Board, discussed Otorohanga's relationship with the organisation at a recent community board meeting.
She said Tourism Waikato chief executive John Rasmussen and his team are currently taking steps to better promote Otorohanga and the rest of the Waikato/King Country area.
These include revamping the Tourism Waikato website with the intent of including new links to the websites of each individual
town in the region.
While the new links have not yet been installed, Mrs Cowan said she hopes Tourism Waikato will also link their website to that of Project Kiwiana and Otorohanga Kiwi House.
"The Internet is a very important way of promoting the region."
The Tourism Waikato website is proving relatively popular with Internet users  receiving a Google rating of five out of 10.
Mrs Cowan said the recent and upcoming improvements mean she is satisfied that her role on the board is paying off.
"I feel pleased and happy to be on that board. I feel they are listening."