Stumbling Blocks to Creating Great Civic Centersand How to Overcome Them By Cynthia Nikitin Traditionally, the center of most

cities has been a commons, a civic space built according to democratic principles. The commons may be a historic commercial square, as in Madison, Wisconsin, or it may be a mall (in the original sense), like the ones that grace San Franciscos City Hall and the US Capitol. In almost every case, major public and cultural institutions are located around the commons, forming a civic center of enormous practical and symbolic importance. Libraries are the cornerstones of many civic centers. They may be joined by city halls, museums, government offices, churches, opera houses, courthouses, or any number of other public-minded institutions. With strong partnerships and a clear purpose, the people behind these buildings can breathe life into their shared public spacethe commonsand create a vibrant, cohesive district. A fullyrealized civic center proclaims the mission and identity of its institutions for all to see, so that the commons becomes a forum for public expression and a source of community pride.

For civic centers to succeed, the institutions and attractions within them must coalesce around the commons. Pitfalls abound on the path to success, however. One of the biggest problems is that civic centers are not always seen as cohesive districts, and often fail to function as engaging public spaces. There are few things more dispiriting than an empty courthouse square or grand library steps without a soul in sight. The failure of such places raise disturbing questions about the fate of the public realm itself.

Lively civic centers showcase the strength of their community and help kindle a democratic spirit. To help create better civic spaces around the country, PPS looks at the major stumbling blocks we have observed in our work with libraries, museums, courthouses, and other public institutionsand outlines proven strategies to overcome these problems and establish a vital commons at the heart of our cities. Lesson #1 If you build it, make sure they come Downtown Tacoma, Washington boasts a resurgent historic core with plenty of potential for a first-class civic center to emerge. Thats what city leaders had in mind when they built a new public square called Tollefson Plaza in the center of downtown, less than a block away from three museums, a convention center, a branch of the University of Washington campus, and a historic train station adapted for re-use as a Federal Courthouse. But residents soon discovered that the plazas fantastic location provided no guarantee that it would automatically work from the moment it opened.

Without strong management or programming, Tacoma's Tollefson Plaza did not live up to its promise. Following a PPS workshop in 2006, efforts are now underway to activate this important civic space. Lacking a clear mission or program, the plaza debuted with many important questions still unanswered. Who would use it? What would people do there? Who would manage it? The cornerstone institutions that surrounded the plaza had no mandate to program it. Nor were they sure how their own patrons might use it, what activities people could do there, or how they might help run the plaza over the long term. On top of that uncertainty, cost concerns prevented amenities like restrooms, concessions, and seating from seeing the light of day. When the plaza opened, few people used it besides skateboarders and the homeless. Solution:

Create a program of events and activities based on a high level of community involvement. Once a public space has been built, people still need a reason to go there. One of the most compelling attractions is a full calendar of events and activities. Luckily, civic centers make ideal locations for public space programmingfor two reasons. First, they are natural places for

neighboring institutions to hold events that highlight their missions, like when a museum puts on an art market, or a courthouse organizes a civic forum. When institutions work together on an events calendar for a shared public space, it builds mutual support and leads to more opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.Second, as places that embody democratic values, civic centers should strive to appeal to the communities who work or live nearby. Getting people involved from the ground up is essential. This means engaging a broad range of local groups in programming the space, creating events that will appeal to people of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds. Cultural and arts organizations should be encouraged to use civic center performances as a means of generating new audiences. Ethnic festivals, public markets, music and theater can all reflect the diversity of adjacent neighborhoods and the community as a wholeand make the civic center feel like a place that belongs to everyone. Lesson #2 Fill in the missing links All over the world, there is a pattern of situating civic institutions next to each other. Though they may share the same streets, the same audience, and even many of the same goals, they hardly ever communicate with each other. As a result, many opportunities to achieve mutual objectives go unfulfilled. For instance, when the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC found itself in desperate need of a child care center, they struggled mightily to re-design their ground floor to accommodate it. Little did they know that directly across the street, a Presbyterian Church was planning to close its child care facility due to lack of enrollment. Without active relationships between institutions, mutual opportunities go unfulfilled and the district as a whole suffers. Many civic center districts have multiple improvement effortsled by different agenciesunderway concurrently. A lack of coordination often results in overlap, inconsistencies, or gaps in implementation. For instance, sidewalk improvement projects conducted by two agencies may use completely different materials, or a street may get dug up five separate times (for new sewer lines, fiber-optic wiring, etc.) instead of handling everything in a coordinated manner. The missing link is communication. A great civic center is more than just a group of buildingsit also needs a robust network of partnerships to fully succeed.

Thanks to good communication between different agencies, sidewalks and streets outside the Post Office in Montpelier, Vermont were renovated in coordination with the reconstruction of a nearby water main. Solutions:

Work together to create a vision for the civic center as a livelier place. Start by developing a neighborhood plandocumenting and mapping out all the improvements planned and underway in the civic center. This plan is the starting point for a larger vision statement for the area. In addition, the boundaries of the district should be determined and mapped. Take the plan to local government agencies (parks, public works, transportation) as a group, and work with the city to get the vision funded and implemented. Meet with the Mayors Office and City Council members to obtain their support and provide seed money. Publicize local cultural events and businesses. During the day, civic centers are full of office workers, be they government employees, library aides or lawyers. They are a natural audience for nearby cultural institutions. But this audience will not materialize unless a concerted effort is made to encourage them to patronize cultural institutions and local businesses. The managers of a federal courthouse and office building in San Francisco, for instance, are planning a program of outreach and promotion to building tenants around City Hall. The effort will publicize local organizations and events, drawing employees out into the community for dining, shopping, entertainment and volunteer activities. Band together to develop a management strategy for the area. When improvements are underway concurrently, a collective management effort will help coordinate and provide oversight. The new management entity can function as a neutral forum where mutual interests are recognized, relationships built, and viewpoints of all participating stakeholders represented (including neighborhood-based organizations). To start with, the organization could focus on:
o

Maintenance and security (sidewalk repair, neighborhood policing, etc.)

Bundling together any small plans and projects to create a larger impact on the area as a whole (faade improvement programs, street tree planting, commercial corridor revitalization, streetscaping, etc.) Developing funding mechanisms that rely on diverse sources, such as Business Improvement District assessments, public sector contributions, and special events.

Lesson #3: Get feet back on the street Surprisingly, the layout and atmosphere of many civic centers discourage people from getting around on foot. Even though offices, restaurants, shops, and cultural institutions may be located close together, a poor pedestrian environment makes them feel cut off from one another. In many cases, streets are simply designed to accommodate more and faster traffic than whats needed, which negatively affects perceptions of pedestrian safety. Republic Square in downtown Austin, Texas, for example, feels like an island unto itself, surrounded by fast-moving traffic on three sides. As a result, tenants and visitors who frequent the neighboring art museum, state office building, and warehouse district rarely take advantage of this welcoming green space. The space is currently being redeveloped as Republic Square Park, which will be the front yard for a new federal courthouse and a revitalized post office complex. Managing traffic in this four-block area and getting more feet on the streetis imperative for the park to emerge as the heart of a thriving civic center. Solution:

Create a neighborhood pedestrian and traffic calming plan. A good traffic calming plan encourages people to walk, bike, or take transit to various destinations within the civic center. The first step is to map out and label all the public spaces, cultural destinations, retail areas, workplaces, and transit stops in the district. Then, develop a plan that highlights good pedestrian links between these locations, and identify where new pedestrian paths should be created. The broader transportation vision for the area can then be generated using these locations and connections as the key.More detailed elements of the plan can widening sidewalks for outdoor seating and dining; narrowing travel lanes to allow on-street parking; bumping out sidewalks at intersections to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and reduce the speed of turning cars; and converting one-way streets to two-way wherever possible.

A vision map for Republic Square in Austin, Texas highlights streets, intersections, and sidewalks where pedestrian improvements should be made. Lesson #4: Whats in a name? Everything! A great civic center needs a name that will stick, or else most people wont even know its there. It sounds simple enough, but a surprising number of civic centers have yet to stake a claim to their own identity. They need to be named, marketed, and branded in a way that no one will easily forget. Until a few years ago, the federal properties in Denver, Colorado suffered from an identity crisis. They were perceived simply as a collection of government buildings, residential developments, and offices without a cohesive character. When plans got underway for a new light rail stop in front of the districts historic federal courthouse building, the Regional Transportation District jumped at the chance to remedy the situation. Working in partnership with the courts, the city and the General Services Administration (which operates the courthouse), the RTD named the area the Denver Federal District. While far from poetic, this name helped transform public perception. Today the Federal District is thriving thanks to management that programs its spaces and plans for improvements. Solutions:

Introduce consistent signage throughout the civic center. This helps brand the area as a district and encourages people to explore it on foot. Market the civic center. The goods, services and programs offered by each institution should be marketed together in a coordinated manner. Different institutions often serve the same people, so developing a shared strategy makes a lot of sense. Steps may include:

Developing a resource map listing all the civic services and programs in and around the area. Creating a visitor brochure listing attractions and amenities available in the neighborhood. Distributing a tenant guide to all employees in the area with inserts of volunteer opportunities in the neighborhood.

These tools will help get information to visitors and employees about the diverse mix that the area has to offer

Community Research

Civic Center Development Civic Center Designs by JGM "Each Civic Center plays a significant role in the life of their respective communities. JGM treats each center as an opportunity to create a landmark to serve and reflect their community." (www.jgm-inc.com) JGM Landscape Architects out of Bellevue,WA has worked exclusively in the Pacific Northwest have worked on such city halls as Tukwila City Hall, Bellingham City Hall, Lynnwood Civic Center, etc. Many of JGM's projects have been in campus settings to better serve their communities, optimize community investment, maximize personnel utilization and minimize environmental impacts. Figure 1 is a rendering of the new "Civic Plaza"in downtown Seattle. Although the scale is different the principles of this project could be applied to the proposed Sandpoint civic center project to achieve the best design possible. The plaza shown in Figure 1 is used as a front door to the city hall, which is able to accommodate large crowds, such as community gatherings and celebrations, as well as provide spaces for intimate gatherings.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Figure 3:

Some of the design principles articulated in the Seattle project include: 1) Creating a Civic Plaza that is primarily about public life in Seattle 2) Assuring ease of movement throughout the site for all citizens 3) Providing and sustaining an active public space for a diversity of activities

Figure 4:

4) Capturing the uniqueness of the area and celebrating the forms and characteristics of Seattle

Lubbock Civic Center Lubbock, Texas The Lubbock Memorial Civic Center stands as a monument to the perseverance and resilience of the people of West Texas. Built on the site of the 1970 tornado, this 300,000 square foot facility is flexible enough to accommodate large events or small specialized gatherings. The structural layout and architectural design of the facility combine beauty and versatility making it a convenient and impressive accommodation for a meeting, trade show, concert or convention (the convention area is the peach color on the plan view). Figure 1: Grand Stairway Located in downtown Lubbock, the facility has 1500 on-site free parking spaces. The central location of the Civic Center provides easy access to hotels, the Depot District, a variety of restaurants, shopping, Texas Tech University and Lubbock International Airport. The Grand Stairway (Figure 1) leads to the scenic outdoor plaza (Figure 2) which has become the focal point of the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. Complete with waterfalls, fountains, bridges and ornamental landscaping, the plaza is a relaxing environment and is used for parties, weddings and receptions. The plaza is indicated in pink on the plan view (Figure 3).

Figure 2:

Figure 3: Plan View (http://.lmcc.ci.lubbock.tx.us/ccdw.htm)

Civic Plaza Design Seattle, WA recently commissioned a revitalization of civic buildings with the incorporation of public spaces. This

Public Safety Building Block Concept Plan

project was headed by landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson and the firms Gustafson Partners Ltd. and Swift & Company Landscape Architects LLC. These drawings were presented to the Seattle Design Commission and City Council by the design team on August 14, 2000. The plan was approved August 19, 2000. The project was begun in 1998, and construction began on April 4, 2001. The project is not yet finished.

Model of City Hall Civic Center Open Space Site Plan

The Civic Center, at City Hall Works Cited: City Hall Schematic Site Plan 1. Blood, Bruce, content manager. "Civic Center." City of Seattle. Rona Zevin, director. April 15, 2002. Sept. 3, 2002 www.cityofseattle.net/civiccenter/defau lt.htm

Town Center Serene Place Broadstairs, England The streets of Broadstairs in England are very traditional area for fishing, sailing, and many other dining and community activities. It is located in an area with seven large bays for excellent access and regress. These areas at times congested but have been improved upon to give the residential and commercial areas a better flow of traffic and tourists. The planning for this area had to be reconstructed over the centuries to make Broadstairs more adaptable as the city grew and more tourists were coming in for large events and festivities. The expanding and widening of streets have to be well planned out so that the original setting of the town is not destroyed. Serene Place, a small cul-de-sac at the bottom of High Street, is another example of old Broadstairs. While their function has changed, the streets and buildings still retain all their character and charm.

Figure 1: Plan www.tibby.demon.co.uk /Broadstairs.html

Deer Park center,

During the late 1990's, retail development failed to keep pace with

Deer Park, IL

rapidly expanding affluent populations in Deer Park and other growing suburbs in northwest Chicago. Previously, residents in these areas were traveled great distances south or into downtown Chicago to do their shopping. Rather than creating a real downtown for these suburban communities a developer adopted a downtown theme for a suburban shopping center to serve the commercial needs. Poag & McEwen opened Deer Park Town Center in 2000 tos serve vehicular based shoppers. By 2005, nearly 650,000 people with an average household income exceeding $120,000 will reside within 10 miles of Deer Park Town Center, including more than 90,000 households having incomes greater than $100,000. This will be more than 25 percent growth within the northwest Chicago suburbs since 2000. Most of the commercial development and infrastructure will be created to support the shopping mall where more than 60,000 vehicles pass each day rather than to support traditional community centers (www.deerparktowncenter.tv/).

Figure 1: Views of the entrance showing the landscape excellent access for vehicle and pedestrian crossings. www.deerparktowncenter.tv/

Civic Centers and Plazas

Principles of Landscape Design for Public Plazas: One purpose of landscape design is to blend man's technology building into the urban context. The landscape architect must have knowledge of art elements, design principles, and spatial organization to create effective civic spaces. (Dewayne L. Ingram,02) This publication will familiarize the

A Case Study In Culver City, CA As one can see, this design fallows the elements mentioned before, such as balance, repetition, unity, and focal

points.

citizens of Hayden with design terms and concepts. Terms of Design: 1. Form - Planting and material arrangement in the landscape. 2. Texture - Materials that can be seen or felt (coarse, medium, or fine). 3. Scale - Size of an object according to its surroundings. 4. Unity - Effective use of Components in a design to express a main idea through consistent style. They just fit together. 5. Balance - The equality of visual stimulus. 6. Transition - Gradual change throughout the design (big, medium, small). 7. Proportion - Refers to the size of parts of a design in relation to each other, and to the design as a whole. 8. Focal Point - A visual interest point. 9. Repetition - The common use of an object or plant material to create harmony in the site.

Figure #31-Master plan of Culver Civic Center. The vertical and horizontal forms are created by the arrangement of plants. A transition from the street to the building is created through the use of small, medium, and large plant material. The trees provide a positive scale relationship with the building.

Figure #32-Culver City Civic Center. This arch is a historic reference to the old civic center of 1928 and creates a threshold from the street to the plaza.

Some of the general need and goals of civic design include: 1. Universal access. 2. Design communicating civic pride, efficiency and democratic ideals 3. Space for public events like speeches,

displays and receptions 4. Space for individual use like eating and resting. 5. Space for cultural enrichment like history, art, and music. We hope to implement these functional aspects of design into the design of the civic center plaza, and in doing so demonstrate ways that they can be used. The example, below, illustrates a case study of the Culver City Civic Center in Culver City, California, produced by Sarah Huff and Laurel Gollong. In conclusion, our team will help the community of Hayden design a well developed plan for civic center building and plaza. With the community's help, we can fulfill the city of Hayden's needs. The list below is the design process we will use to design the Hayden Civic Plaza and Building. Steps in Design: 1. Develop a plot plan. Figure #34-The Fountain. The sidewalk entry into the building is reinforced by flanking hedges. Texture of the hedge, trees and building parts that can be seen or felt create a visually unified scheme. 2. Conduct a site analysis. 3. Access the community's needs and desires. 4. Locate activity areas. 5. Design activity areas conceptually. 6. Receive ideas and concepts from the community through feedback. 7. Take feedback and make decisions

Figure #33-Archway Facing Culver Blvd. This fountain functions as a focal point. Its sound, location and visual animation leads patrons into the plaza

with public's consent. 8. Develop a master plan. 9. Select material and determine placement. 10. Plant selection and placement. 11. Present master plan to community. Figure #35-Entry into Building.

Figure #39-Entry Courtyard.

Figure #36-Entry to Fountain. The entry into the courtyard from the north end is through a grove of trees in planters which create a sub space.

Figure #37-The Italian Cypress. Accessibility through ramps, handrails and well designed steps is a must.

Figure #38-Universal Access.

Bohemia Walled Garden Association

BWGA Gardens in UK Bohemia Estate Roman Bath Ice House Summerfields Wood

Art & Culture in the Woods Contact Us more...

Arthur Swift & Partners - Hastings Civic Centre

In the mid 1960s Hastings Borough had a grand vision to develop a civic complex on the 46.65 acre Summerfields Estate that they had purchased. A report, Hastings Civic Centre Architectural & Planning by Arthur Swift & Partners (Chartered Architects & Planning Consultants - 21 Upper Grosvenor Street London W1) was commissioned by HBC and published in April 1967 it identified the the types of users who might get incorporated into a series of new civic buildings located on the land that had been acquired. An 18 page preliminary report entitled "Civic Centre for the Borough of Hastings " was prepared by Arthur Swift & Partners dated 21st March 1967. The General Purposes Committee dealt with the Summerfields Civic Development on dates 18th April & 30th May 1967. This particular adventure in town planning was not the first ambitious scheme to ultimately hit the buffers. In October 1946 as Hastings settled down after years of war Borough Engineer Sidney Little was promoting "Double Deck City" with ambitious plans of roads through the centre of Hastings. It would appear like many consultants reports that the reccomendations were based on wild guesses where in 1967 they calculated the population of Hastings would increase to 150,000 residents.Changes to local government structure caused by the Local Government Reform Act in April 1974 affected the need for many departments but the original plan was to provide 100,000 sq ft of office space to accomadate 500 staff with the option of an additional 50% increase of planned office space. The report envisaged 60 elected members of HBC (Hastings currently has 32) Space was allocated for a council chamber for the 60 members as well as members suite,committee rooms, mayoral suite and a public gallery.

The report considered a range of different civic uses relocating departments like the Fire & Ambulance Service to new purpose designed buildings. The main development was proposed to be centred on land between the North & South Lodges of the estate and that included the site of Bohemia Mansion. The first building to be completed was the Ambulance Station due for construction Autumn 1967. A few months later the Fire Station we see today was opened. Interestingly the the Arthur Swift reports envisaged the retention of the North Lodge with the new Fire Station opening onto Bohemia Road but to the north of the Lodge and gate pillars. The structure that was built ensured the demolition of the North Lodge. Interestingly it was another Fire Station at the ridge that caused the demolition the entrance to Coghurst Hall another Brisco home. Below there are more details of how these buildings were to be built in phases.

Plans for a new Civic Centre 1972

Plans for municipal offices ,civic hall ,art gallery & museum.

The Court and Police Headquarters did get built but the Civic Centre planned to be placed on the site of Summerfields House never occurred. The staff at HBC appreciated the need and desirability to combine different offices around the town and to be able to own and control their own office space and to create new civic space for meetings and galleries but they could never understand that the retention of the old house with offices behind and around could have ensured that there were some building of quality within their proposed development. It is clear that the retention of any historic assets was not a priority, but even the Arthur Swift report did not reccomend the demolition of existing buildings unless the space was required.

It was considered more appropriate to locate the Crown Offices, Public Library and Swimming Pool nearer to the town centre and in the case of a swimming pool near the seafront to cater for visitors. Alongside the development of the Civic Complex were proposals to create new accesses to the area from the east with new roads entering Summerfields Wood from Linton Road and over what was then in the mid 60s open ground. Parking for 750 cars was achieved on a series of terraces down the hillside. Within the report paragraph 2.5 referred to the future of Summerfields House saying "consideration must be given to the future of Summerfields House, whatever purpose it is put to it will have a limited economic life and it is possible a new building would need to be provided for any temporary user. If it is demolished prior to its site being required for Civic Centre Buildings the vacant land should be left tidied and some landscaping carried out."

Possible levels of development Map 1 Immediate build

Shown on map 1 the report envisaged an "Immediate Build" program. Three developments were identified to be built initially. The Ambulance Station was to be located adjacent to the highway. The initial build would also have included Law Courts and a Police Headquarters. This is the level of development that actually occurred and Summerfields House / Bohemia Mansion can be seen unaffected by any new buildings, to the north east of the Law Court.

Possible levels of development Map 2 Part Civic Centre

Shown on map 3 was a "Completed Civic Centre" showing buildings extending to the south near to the Law Court with a development area covering virtually the entire area between Bohemia & Briscos Walk. at this phase it was intended to develop an alternative access for vehicles entering the area from Linton Road. Ultimately the entrance/exit from Bohemia would have been closed. The intention was to have a new highway that would have left Linton Road some 6 houses up from Linton Crescent and then crossing open land and Briscos Walk into the Civic Centre. This approach was proposed in order to create a more impressive approach to the centre and to "recognise the importance and dignity of the buildings".

Possible levels of development Map 3 Completed Civic Centre

Shown on map 3 was a "Completed Civic Centre" showing buildings extending to the south near to the Law Court with a development area covering virtually the entire area between Bohemia & Briscos Walk. at this phase it was intended to develop an alternative access for vehicles entering the area from Linton Road. Ultimately the entrance/exit from Bohemia would have been closed. The intention was to have a new highway that would have left Linton Road some 6 houses up from Linton Crescent and then crossing open land and Briscos Walk into the Civic Centre. This approach was proposed in order to create a more impressive approach to the centre and to "recognise the importance and dignity of the buildings".

Possible levels of development Map 4 -Possible Further Growth

Shown on Map 4 entitled "Possible Further Growth" it showed more buildings to the east of the existing Law Court identified as a Conference Centre extending to a point level with the north of the Walled Garden. A further building identified as a Health Centre would have been fitted in on the Bohemia Road frontage between the Police Station and the Fire Station. The report claimed that the civic centre could grow as needs are established.

Arthur Swift - Landscaping 3.7

The Walled Garden at the top of the Ravine south of police HQ Landscaping was considered in the Swift report under paragraph 3.7 saying there was a case for preserving the best trees and clearing away much of the undergrowth but without completely destroying the shelter provided at present. There is a natural site in the ravine for an amphitheatre possibly with bandstand or perhaps for an arboretum. At all events the various pools could form the basis for a water garden and the "Roman Bath" spring could be developed into an attractive feature. The pools could be used for balancing the surface water drainage system and the existing walled garden as a feature garden to take advantage of the sheltered space it encloses. It is hoped with proper plans will maintain the garden, parkland and open space

retained will provide a visual asset to the town and pleasant walks between the civic and commercial areas. Arthur Swift April 1967

The Civic Centre proposal (2) Police HQ (3) Law Court (4) Fire Station (5) Museum & Art Gallery (6 )Municipal Offices (8) Conference Centre (9) Hall Council Departments The following details from the Swift report give an idea of the size of different departments.

Civic Suite of 20,000 sq ft with council chamber & public gallery,mayoral & members suite & committee rooms. Town Clerk 16,000 sq ft Borough Treasurer 16,000 sq ft Engineers 16,000 sq ft Medical Officer 16,000 sq ft Education 16,000 sq ft Housing 16,000 sq ft Weights & Measures 16,000 sq ft Civil Defence 16,000 sq ft Museum & Art Gallery 25,000 sq ft Displays, lecture rooms,cloakroom,storeage all part of a cultural centre. Large Hall 15,000 sq ft 1000 persons for exhibitions,boxing, music,theatre,dancing,public meetings. Small Hall 500 sq ft 500 persons Other facilities proposed for the Summerfields area were Health & Welfare services and a Central Youth Centre at the north of the site where the YMCA is situated. With the museum being relocated from Johns Place to Summerfields it would have been possible to use the museum site to provide additional building space for the Royal East Sussex Hospital. Another aspiration of Hastings Borough Council was for a conference centre. The hope was that it would "bring in out of season visitors to the town, but at present there is not the necessary suitable hotel accommodation for larger conferences than those housed at the White Rock Pavilion. This situation could improve and provision for a future conference centre has been allowed for." It is likely that this remains a long term aspiration of HBC and with the precedent of land swaps with the Foreshore Trust firmly established any new conference centre will not have delegates staying up in the hills but they will be able to step out of their hotel and walk along the beach to the conference.

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