The Targeted Hardship Fund (THF) is a $12m ex gratia financial support fund to help businesses affected by construction on City Rail Link’s main contract of works.
The THF is governed by criteria set by project Sponsors - the NZ Government and Auckland Council - and is administered by third party consultants TSA Management.
The THF is separate from the Link Alliance Small Business Support programme – and businesses can apply for both schemes if eligible.
Support for local businesses
Link Alliance (CRL’s main delivery partner) worked hard every day to minimise the impacts of construction and support the local community. Being a good neighbour was just as important as construction. Link Alliance delivered a range of business support initiatives to help mitigate the impacts on businesses throughout construction.
Small Business Support Programme
Link Alliance’s Small Business Support Programme (SBSP) supported small businesses in the city centre areas (Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape ) with a microgrant and independent business advice to help businesses adapt and innovate their offering during construction.
Business wayfinding and promotion
It was essential that people could still navigate through CRL sites during delivery. Wayfinding helped pedestrians navigate diversions and we worked with local businesses to design and deliver business promotions emphasising that businesses were still open and accessible.
Examples included promotional posters and signage on construction fences, solid hoardings and footpaths, as well as bespoke ‘support local’ campaigns. Below are some examples - click on an image below to see it full-screen.
Attractive hoardings
Solid hoardings across worksites kept workers and members of the public safe during construction, and helped reduce noise and vibration. Depending on the type of site, hoardings were constructed of plywood, steel, or solid material. Link Alliance commissioned art installations to brighten hoardings across the station neighbourhoods. Read more about Auckland’s biggest art project with local artists here.
Perspex windows in hoardings improved visibility for businesses and let in natural light. The windows gave pedestrians the opportunity to interact with the works and engage with the project on a more personal level. Steel temporary fences were adorned with bright and colourful scrim alongside information about project progress and local businesses.
Link Alliance was a large organisation and wherever possible, sought to buy goods and services locally – whether it was marking major construction milestones with food from a local cafe, using local print shops for posters and other requirements, or simply encouraging their crews to buy their lunch from local businesses.
They sponsored regular free coffees (from local suppliers) for neighbours to enjoy and promoted businesses and their specials to a large local stakeholder database.
Local activations and events
Link Alliance worked with a range of local partners to enhance the public’s experience in the area during construction, including activations and events to encourage visitation and spending at local businesses.
Events included sponsoring jazz nights in local restaurants, resurrecting monthly activations such as First Thursdays on Karangahape Road and around Beresford Square and the Aroha in Uptown and Branch Out festivals in Uptown. Link Alliance also participated in existing city-wide festivals such as City of Colour, Auckland Festival of Photography, Auckland Heritage Festival and Matariki.
All three stations – Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau - had public information centres to attract people into the area to find out more about the project and these were often the starting point for the regular public tours of the site perimeter.
Win Win Wednesday
As part of the CRL streetscape upgrade programme in midtown, Link Alliance partnered with local businesses surrounding Te Waihorotiu Station for the Win Win Wednesday campaign, giving neighbours the chance to win exclusive offerings from a local business every Wednesday, usually those most affected by that week's programme of works. .
