Speaker Series
This trial introduced guest speakers from urban regeneration backgrounds to provide input into how urban regeneration can enable towns and cities to thrive amidst change.
What happened and why?
links to speakers recordings:
Starting in April 2022, a number of local, regional and national speakers came to Timaru to share their insights and experiences relating to the CityTown project.
The importance of learning from local, national and international case studies in urban regeneration is a consideration we have always kept at the forefront of our thinking, whether that be stunning success stories or cautionary tales to keep you awake at night. There are many considerations that all have impacts and outcomes related to our local city centre that has also been experienced in other city centres across the nation and worldwide. Whether it be parking, earthquake prone buildings, planning, urban living heritage living, or big box retail, they have all impacted other cities and there have been learnings from these processes that we can use when rejuvenating our CityTown.
To complement our master planning process, we heard from speakers that have had direct experience in the problems our CityTown faces to keep facilitating our learning.
Below you can find links and resources from previous CityTown guest speakers.
Glen Hazelton: Urban Regeneration - https://youtu.be/UiE8HkESVfE?si=JLUo6_GifyZMn9kr
Mike Fisher: Urban Placemaking - https://youtu.be/2gnr0NUpt_o?si=G5Yy3WsDCM1mORr_
Speaker Series line-up
Mike Fisher
Solving urban challenges and creating great places takes concerted effort and energy across communities and the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. New approaches are needed that break traditional silos and bring people together to take action.
Placemaking provides this opportunity and is founded upon collaboration, creativity, and people who are empowered to take action. Placemaking also drives innovation in government to rethink systems and processes in order to foster the investment of energy and capital in streets, neighbourhoods and districts.
In this session, Mike explores placemaking approaches and projects that have created much loved places, catalysed new investment in urban areas and given people the opportunity to be actively involved in the ongoing evolution of their towns and cities.
Presentation Video Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gnr0NUpt_o
Presentation Material - Mike Fisher Presentation - February 2023
Mike has worked for 23 years across the world on placemaking, strategic planning and urban regeneration projects. He works on urban development projects for ChristchurchNZ and also runs his consultancy UrbanTacticians. He previously worked to establish and run Riverside Market & Lanes in Christchurch with Riverside Ltd, was the Acting Manager of Future Communities at the City of Port Philip in Melbourne, and was the Manager of City Planning & Development and Placemaking Coordinator at the Adelaide City Council.
Glen Hazelton
Whether the problem is one of parking, planning, earthquake-prone buildings, big box retail, online shopping, urban living or heritage protection, there are many considerations (each with their own local flavour) common to similar projects.
One of the best case study compilations that our research brought to light was the outstanding toolkit produced by Heritage NZ, Saving the Town https://www.heritage.org.nz/resources/saving-the-town The author of this report, Dr Glen Hazelton, is a legend in his field and has been and currently is doing some wonderful things down the road for the Dunedin City Council.
To complement our local tactical master planning process we are delighted to provide you with an online session with this famous and talented urban regeneration specialist, Dr Glen Hazelton.
Presentation Video Link - https://youtu.be/UiE8HkESVfE
Presentation Material - Glen Hazelton Presentation - April 2022