Work to fix problem pavers in the Cromwell Mall that had proved to be a safety hazard for shoppers and an ongoing headache for business owners has been completed.

Central Otago District Council said the work began in mid-November and finished in late December, after incidents related to lifted pavers had been reported to council over several years.

Parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said the project focused mainly on areas where tree roots had pushed up the paving.

“To minimise and reduce ongoing maintenance of the pavers, we decided to extend the lawn around the tree near the library to create a new, more enjoyable area,” Gordon said.

Pavers around trees along the manmade stream running through the outdoor mall were also removed and replaced with garden areas, with planting planned for April and May.

The work was funded through the council’s Long Term Plan, with $200,000 allocated to the project.

Contractors remove problem pavers in Cromwell Mall in December. Image: The Central App

As part of the upgrade, several underutilised rubbish bins were removed and replaced with waste and recycling bins positioned in what the council described as strategic locations.

Gordon said monitoring showed some existing bins were rarely used, while emptying all the bins was time-consuming for contractors.

“Reducing the number of bins allows efficiencies to be reallocated to other areas,” he said.

The remaining bins had been replaced with a three-bin system for glass, recycling and general waste, which Gordon said aligned with the council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and best practice elsewhere.

He confirmed there was no formal policy to replace general waste bins with this style of recycling bins across the district, and swap outs would only happen as projects and budgets allowed.

A three-bin system has replaced too man bins in the mall in Cromwell. Image: The Central App

He said the work in the mall was approved by the Cromwell Community Board, and businesses in the mall were advised ahead of construction.

Concerns about the condition and future of Cromwell Mall are longstanding, with repeated reporting of uneven pavers causing tripping hazards and prompting complaints from business owners.

Broader redevelopment of the mall was discussed during consultation on the council’s 2021–31 Long Term Plan, when the community was asked to consider a $42M proposal to revitalise the area.

That proposal included upgrades to council-owned buildings such as the service centre and library, along with demolition, landscaping and wider improvements to public spaces.

Many of the buildings in the mall are privately owned.

That council-led redevelopment plan did not progress.

A month and $200,000 of repairs - but is it enough to satisfy local shoppers and businesses? Image: The Central App

Asked how the recently completed maintenance work fitted into any longer-term visions for the mall, the council declined to comment.

While the $200,000 project addressed specific safety and maintenance issues, frustration remains among some in the community about the mall’s future, with ongoing calls for clearer direction on whether and when more significant changes might occur.

Read more: Business owner calls for Cromwell Mall upgrade and Council workshop reopens Cromwell Mall discussion

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