Russell

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Russell
An Experience
Welcome to our place
A presentation for the Small Towns Conference,
August 2003by Helen Pick Helen
McCormackPowerPoint by Jacqui Knight
(with illustrations by the children of Russell,
from handpainted tiles)
August 2003
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Our town Russell or Kororareka
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Potted history of our town Russell or
Kororareka

• Originally called Kororareka, the name tells of a
  Maori chief who was wounded in battle and asked
  for some penguin broth.

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Potted history of our town Russell or
Kororareka

• After tasting the broth he said ka reka te
  korora or how sweet is the penguin.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Site was once a major centreof trade between
  Maori, European and American traders and
  settlers

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Frequent port of call for whalers and sealers
  seeking provisions.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Once described as the Hell Hole of the
  Pacific, the colourful history has seen many
  conflicts fought and resolved.
• Even today, the musket ball holes can still be
  seen in the towns historic church.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Bishop Pompallier establisheda Catholic Mission
  in 1839.
• Pompallier built in 1841-42 to house the
  Missions printing of religious texts.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Many other historically important buildings
• Christ Church (built in 1835 with a hipped roof,
  roofline modified in 1871)
• Old Custom House - now Police Station, 1870, etc

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Nearby (Okiato) was named Russell and decreed
  first capital of NZ on the signing of the Treaty
  of Waitangi, 1840.
• Capital buildings and name shifted to
  Kororareka/Russell as the site was busier and
  more convenient.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Government Gazette proclamation in January 1844
  extended the boundaries of Russell to include
  Kororareka which would henceforth inherit its
  name and become Port of Entry to the Bay of
  Islands.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Russell has national, regional and local
  significance.
• Recognised by FNDC in District Plan
• Three Heritage Precincts - The Strand, Christ
  Church and Wellington St areas.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• In 1926 famous American writer and adventurer,
  Zane Grey, was invited to the Bay to experience
  and write about what has now become recognised as
  one of the worlds greatest sportfishing grounds.
• Tourism began!

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Our town Russell or Kororareka
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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Small businesses, apart from
• Department of Conservation - was once head of BOI
  Heritage Marine Park
• NZ Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga
• Fullers Bay of Islands

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Our Identity

• The Russell community has evaluated its identity
  three timesover the past 25 years.

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Our town Russell or Kororareka

• Consultation!!!

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1975-1977

• Department of Lands and Survey
• conducted extensive research
• What qualities give Russell its special
  significance and make it attractive to residents
  and visitors alike.

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1980

• Russell style was formalised through a booklet,
  The Russell Book.
• An advisory centre established giving detailed
  interpretations of Russells objectives and
  values.

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1980

• This is what was planned for the Village Green,
  looking from the waterfront. Note the verandahs
  to the Town Hall so that it relates more
  positively to the Village Green.

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1980

• This is what was envisaged for Cass Street from
  the wharf encouraging pedestrian activity
  through the development of a paved square
  prohibiting entry by private motor vehicles.

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December 1991

• Public meeting called
• Your views on Russell Twenty Years Out.
• Mandate developed encapsulating views.
• Perceptions that Russell was special and
  uniqueness were similar to previous studies.
• Russell 2000 (charitable trust) formed.

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Stage 1

• Fundraising undertaken.
• Some plans put aside because of imminent sewage
  scheme/stormwater separation.
• Those plans which were not subject to
  infrastructure modification were put into action,
  e.g. York Street.

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Stage 1

• Intensive repaving, planting and tree
  installation.
• Arid area transformed into a much more
  attractive, people-friendly street space.
• Two shopping areas abutting onto Cass St linked
  into village centre.

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1992

• This is a view of Cass Street captured on film by
  Laurence Aberhart, world-renowned photographer
  who lives right here in Russell.

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1992
View fromthe Wharf

• trees and shrubs to provide summer shade and
  winter shelter withstand drought and wind.
• Pavings in red brick on cement mortar, benches
  and seats in sheltered corners and under the
  trees
• ...breaking up the grey asphalt with native
  trees
• ...inviting islands for human commerce where
  people can linger and enjoy the town.

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July 1998

• Russell 2000 calls public meeting.
• Update 1991 Mandate - many objectives have been
  achieved.
• Views expressed on Russells future direction.
• Committee set up to analyse these perceptions.

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July 1998

• Comments recorded and categorised.
• Outcome defines qualities and uniqueness of
  Russell.
• Sorted under four headings.
• Attributes remarkably consistent with previous
  studies.

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1. History/Heritage

• Russell is
• historically important
• the cradle of New Zealand European history
• a national heritage and part of New Zealands
  identity
• essential to New Zealand
• very old - Maori can trace back 1000 years

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1. History/Heritage

• Russell has
• layers of history/presence
• cemeteries and sacred sites
• soul/spirit/mauri
• a sense of guardianship amongst its citizens

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1. History/Heritage

• Spirit
• Understand the soul of the place
• Recognise the presence of tangata whenua
• Theres a spirit in this place - If you offend
  it, you will leave
• The town will outlive all of us
• Russell fights back
• Spirit moves you
• Russell affects your spirituality
• People change when they come here

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1. History/Heritage

• Caretakers/Guardians/Heritage
• The people of Russell are conscious that they
  have something significant. They see themselves
  as guardians of Russells history, and also as
  caretakers of Russells character, which includes
  architecture from the 1920s/30s/50s.

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• Russell has
• a sense of community
• human scale architecture/small houses on large
  sections
• pedestrian friendliness

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• Safe/Slow/Quiet/Peaceful
• Reminiscent of childhood
• Restful haven
• Safe place to bring up kids
• small, slow, relaxed/quiet/slow pace
• Its still okay to stop in the middle of the
  road for a chat
• Can hear the moreporks at night, no cars
• Russell is a restful place
• Safe - can walk down the road at 1am - cant do
  that in Auckland

• nostalgia
• nice quiet little town
• slow, as in the 30s, 40s, 50s

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• Pedestrian-friendly
• Pedestrian
• Can walk down Russell streets without being run
  over by a car
• Walk or pushbike
• Pleasant to walk around
• A walking town more than a driving town
• Such a walking town that visitors have to
  jump-start their cars when they leave - they
  havent been used
• Level, flat, walking, human
• Relative vehicle-free environment

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• Community/collective responsibility
• Russell people feel a strong sense of belonging
  to and protectiveness towards Russell
• Our village
• Russell belongs to all of us

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• Caretakers/Guardians/Heritage
• The people of Russell are conscious that they
  have something significant. They see themselves
  as guardians of Russells history, and also as
  caretakers of Russells character, which
  includes architecture from the 1920s/30s/50s.

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2. Village/Small Town/Centre

• KEY CONCEPTS
• Safe
• Pedestrian-friendly
• Commercial centre

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Russell is
• naturally beautiful peninsular
• open spaces/a town and rural atmosphere
• sub-tropical
• an anchorage/village
• a holiday town

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Rural/country/natural
• Rural, not urban
• I remember unsealed raods - Russell was rural
  then - its urban now
• Not comfortable with formal planting
• Cows, dogs, animals, ducks, geese have the right
  of way
• Three cheers for ducks and geese - part of the
  village scene

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Russell has long associations with other Pacific
  Islands, apparent in its sub-tropical plantings

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Scenic/natural beauty
• Holiday place
• Summer camp
• Coastal
• Yachtspeople
• Exposure to the seasons
• Gateway to the BOI
• Scenically beautiful
• Natural amphitheatre, flanked by two
  promontories with bays on both sides

• Climate/weather
• Seaside holiday

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Russell has beautiful walks and beaches and is
  physically contained by its landforms.
• Contribute to the physical beauty of Russell.
• Adds to perceptions of safety and relaxation.

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• Caretakers/Guardians/Heritage
• The people of Russell are conscious that they
  have something significant. They see themselves
  as guardians of Russells history, and also as
  caretakers of Russells character, which
  includes architecture from the 1920s/30s/50s.

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3. Rural/Scenic/Natural

• KEY CONCEPTS
• Rural
• Scenic
• Seaside

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4. Real/Genuine/Honest

• Geographic isolation/inaccessibility
• Living on an island, youve got to be honest -
  got to face yourself
• not perfection - Far North e.g. staff shortages,
  power
• cant run a slick city business here
• isolated island - different way of life
• have to rely on others more

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4. Real/Genuine/Honest

• Russell residents see themselves as
• friendly and welcoming
• wary of becoming citified

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4. Real/Genuine/Honest

• Caring/friendly/intimate
• Caring/sharing
• Its the people
• People know each other
• Know shopkeepers, people that you trade with
• Caring/nurturing each other
• Were human in Russell - we stop to talk
• So easy to talk to anyone in Russell - always a
  smile and a wave
• Personally know people we trade with

• Old-fashioned values
• Intimate residential quality
• Sense of intimacy

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4. Real/Genuine/Honest

• Open-minded/diverse
• Open-minded
• Non-judgemental
• diversity - age and creed
• diverse yet compatible
• few places where cross generations can gather
  these days - grandparents, parents, children
• diversity - people heres right to be
  individual
• cosmopolitan mix of people

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4. Real/Genuine/Honest

• Not hot/city/commercial
• Dont want to wear silly hats - dont want to be
  a hot city suburb
• not city life
• not overly commercial
• dont care if y ou do or dont drive a BMW
• danger of landscaping - wedding cake which never
  existed
• lamppost lights turning town into something
  dishonest

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4. Real/genuine/honest

• KEY CONCEPTS
• Real
• Un-citified
• Friendly

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Stage 2

• Meanwhile, fundraising had continued for Cass
  Street.
• 2003 - Goal of over 100,000 raised.
• Contributions from Far North District Council and
  Kawakawa Community Board.
• Necessary permissions obtained, stormwater works
  undertaken.
• Beautification put into action.

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Stage 2

• Restoration based on nine principles
• 1. Accentuate and make more available the
  exceptional beauty of the Russell landscape and
  seascape.
• 2. Accentuate, respect and conserve the unique
  historic character of Russell.

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Stage 2

• 3. Strengthen the connections between the town,
  the beach and the sea.
• 4. Improve the connection between the beach and
  the town.
• 5. Make the pedestrian spaces in the town more
  user-friendly, efficient and safe.
• 6. Keep scenic vistas open and strengthen the
  connection with the sea and the historic
  features.

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Stage 2

• 7. Provide shelter for the pedestrians from the
  sun and the rain.
• 8. Provide a relaxed friendly Russell
  atmosphere for visitors and locals alike.
• 9. Carefully respect the landscape and history of
  the town in a way that will make Russell
  economically viable in an environmentally
  sustainable way.

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Components - Cass St Design

• 1. The bay
• 2. Historic Kororareka Beach
• 3. Wharf
• 4. Crossing - where beach, wharf, people and
  buildings intersect.

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Components - Cass St Design

• 5. Russell Square - facing the wharf.
• 6. Vehicular square - Cass St, leading to York
  St
• 7. Crossing - York Street crossing Cass St
• 8. Backdrop of trees, hillsides and ridgeline.

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Contributors to the Design

• 1. Seascape beach, wharves and boats
• 2. Landscape - trees, hills, skylines
• 3. History
• 4. Buildings
• 5. People

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Design

• Cass St divided into three interconnected areas
• 1. Eastern York St end forms a tree-planted
  parking and arrival area.
• 2. Middle - multi-purpose square for people and
  vehicles - main reception area for visitors.
• 3. Western section designed to interlock Cass St,
  Strand and the wharf into an attractive and
  efficient linking strongly into Kororareka Beach.

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Design

• Two pedestrian ways on the North and South sides
  form the safe pedestrian linking passages.
  These are developed as shaded seating and
  resting areas.

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Design

• Clearly defined access for pedestrian traffic.
• Clearly defined access for vehicular traffic.
• Series of attractive people places.
• Strong links to beach/harbour with unusual
  rustling brown pebbles - key part of Russells
  natural beauty.

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Your mission!

• Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to
  evaluate how our town measures up in providing
  you with an experience?
• How is our town achieved in retaining and
  enhancing its qualities

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Your mission!

• Collect a Heritage Walk brochure (published by
  the Russell Museum).
• Can this brochure be made more user-friendly,
  i.e. encourage more visitors to partake of our
  Heritage Walk?

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Your mission!

• Look at the Museum, and their plans for the
  future. How will this enhance their experience?
• Look at the NZ Historic Places Trust property
  Pompallier. How will this enhance the experience
  of visiting Russell?

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Your mission!

• How can the shops, cafés and restaurants make a
  visit to Russell more of an experience?

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1992

• Remember that view of Cass Street?
• Look at it ten years later!

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