Walkway to open after much delay

The walkway linking the Wall Street and Golden Centre shopping malls in Dunedin will finally open this week, completing a sprawling undercover shopping space after nearly a year of delays and finger-pointing.

Golden Centre manager Simon Eddy yesterday confirmed the walkway link would be unveiled on Friday as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the almost $5 million Golden Centre upgrade.

Once open, the walkway would allow shoppers to stroll under cover through a 3ha space created by linking the city centre's three George St shopping complexes - Wall Street, the Golden Centre and the Meridian mall.

The opening of the walkway would also resolve a dispute between the two malls and their developers stretching back to March.

Council staff maintained they had an agreement with the Golden Centre for both parties to develop their own sides of the walkway link, in time to be unveiled when Wall Street opened in March.

However, Mr Eddy "categorically" denied this and insisted the walkway would be opened as part of his mall's redevelopment - although the exact timetable slipped from his first estimate, given in March, that it would open in May or June.

The opening of Wall Street without the walkway left its project manager, Dave McKenzie, feeling "pretty gutted", and some of the mall's retailers in July blaming the walkway's absence as a reason for slower-than-expected trade.

Wall Street manager Regan Bennett was diplomatic when asked about the delays.

"Obviously, I would have liked it open sooner, but when you look at what was happening, the Golden Centre was doing a redevelopment . . .

"I realise they have had a lot to do."

The walkway would add the finishing touches to the council's $34 million Wall Street investment, which was also being boosted by the imminent arrival - later this month - of two new stores, music retailer Marbecks and florist Greenhouse, he said.

"It cements the overall intent of the council's investment in the heart of the city," he said.

Mr Eddy said he would be pleased to see the walkway open, creating a true covered shopping precinct for Dunedin.

"We see a huge benefit for it.

"For us commercially, it positions the Golden Centre at the centre of an absolutely enormous shopping space.

"It can only be a good thing.

"We are positive about it," he said.

Golden Centre staff and some of the centre's five new retailers were in an "11th-hour rush" to finish shop fitttings in time for Friday's opening ceremony, which would be attended by deputy mayor Syd Brown.