Council hosted tours

2019 winner of the New Zealand Institute of Architects’ Local Award for Public Architecture, Waitohi Whare Matauranga is more than just a library. Opened in November 2017 and designed by Athfield Architects Ltd, it provides a variety of spaces to suit the myriad of uses for a modern community asset – from a library and service centre to a community space, courtyard and pocket park. Approx. 725m2 in area, this two-level crafted timber ‘ship on shore’ is clad in textured cedar and incorporates a number of sustainable design features including the use of regionally sourced timber, natural ventilation, filtering of on-site stormwater through natural planting beds and swales, double glazing and energy efficient LED lighting.

Join the tour to view the award-winning architecture and experience the space and facilities offered in this great community asset.

Marlborough Smart+Connected is an innovative programme that enables local experts to plan, lead and deliver strategies for their communities. Nine groups are operational in Marlborough (five industry and four community) with around 25 working groups and 200 active volunteers.

Council’s Small Townships Programme is a $5m capital fund for Marlborough’s many small communities to design public spaces that improve liveability, connectivity, identity and enhance the enjoyment and pride in outdoor public spaces.

This tour will visit Renwick, a town of 2,000 people in the “Heart of Marlborough’s Wine Country”, to meet the people who developed this vision and are working on making it come true.

Renwick Smart+Connected was established in 2015 and has led a number of volunteer working groups driving key initiatives including:

• Village Beautification - looking for ways to get Renwick to look and feel like a village in the wine country including street banners, pocket “Pause” park, wine barrel planters and a heritage walk
• Renwick Vineyard Pathways - creating a network of paths connecting to the many vineyards/cellar doors close to Renwick
• Township drinking water quality and quantity upgrade, and promoting water saving initiatives with the community before the upgrade
• Supporting the development of a dog park for the community, which has since been developed
• Renwick Streetscape - quick and not so quick wins for improving safety and access across a state highway, including working with NZTA’s Innovating Streets for People initiative
• Village Green - giving the township a “heart” with pathways, natural play, picnic areas and an event area all in a compact space

The Small Townships Programme has developed a community led, urban design process to link the aspirations of local people and businesses with good outdoor public space design. The implementation of the Township Plan is a work in progress, with some projects in the planning stages, some underway and some completed including:

• Renwick Streetscape - quick and not so quick wins for improving safety and access across a state highway, including working with NZTA’s Innovating Streets for People initiative
• Village Green - giving the township a “heart” with pathways, natural play, picnic areas and an event area all in a compact space

Named after founder Brent Marris’ forebears who bore the original De Marisco surname, Marisco Vineyards combines a family history steeped in the very beginnings of grape growing in Marlborough with a bold entrepreneurial spirit.

Purchased by Marisco Vineyards in 2013, Leefield Station produces a range of wines that celebrate the history of the iconic sheep and beef station located in the heart of the Waihopai Valley. This tour offers the opportunity to visit the new winery and learn about their waste water management and disposal practices, new grape marc handling systems and to taste a selection of their excellent wines.

MDC has a range of waste management and minimisation facilities located in Blenheim. These facilities offer the community a range of diversion from landfill opportunities for transfer station waste, household domestic recycling, items that reached the end of their usefulness, green waste and hazardous waste. Each year these combined facilities divert between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of material away from landfill and onto end markets for reuse, recovery or recycling. MDC has chosen to not only promote but provide effective waste management and minimisation services across our district in the absence of private market investment.

Grovetown Lagoon is one of just a few natural wetlands remaining on the Wairau Plain. Historically the lagoon and the adjoining wetlands and waterways were considered a food resource by iwi and were highly valued for the abundance of freshwater foods. Long-term neglect of the riparian margins along with silt and effluent discharges into the lagoon resulted in a degraded waterbody. The Restoration Project aims to improve the water quality and ecological values of the lagoon to provide a better habitat for fish and birds resulting in an environment that is safe and where people can recreate. The Project also provides for enhancing recreational values through the development of a walk around the wetland.

Hear how the Grovetown Lagoon Project presents a unique opportunity for the Marlborough community and local agencies to collaborate and bring about positive environmental and social change, with enhanced ecology, improved water quality and landscape.