Delicious times ahead as Wharf St starts serving

TRANSFORMATION: Wharf St Dining Precinct organisers Karena Mattson (left), Sally Cooke and Glenn Tuck are helping to transform Wharf St. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

The Wharf St Dining Precinct kicks off next weekend with a Winter Festival down one of Tauranga's main thoroughfares.

The street will be transformed from Monday morning as work begins to turn the road into one of Tauranga's first shared spaces which combines art, culture and cuisine.

Early this morning road markings were blasted off Wharf St and tomorrow the furniture would be marked out on the street while 99 per cent of the street signage would be removed.

Mainstreet Tauranga chairman Glenn Tuck said the road would be closed from Monday morning and project partners Aotea Electric, Rutherford Signs, Mainstreet Tauranga and Tauranga City Council teams would be working on transforming the street into a one-way system heading down to The Strand, and installing all the components.

"It's exciting to think that after months of planning, next week the street will be transformed with more than 500 railway sleepers from the old Matapihi Railway bridge, over 80 lanterns imported from Italy, themed furniture to complement the heritage of the street and a passionate desire to create a unique, themed dining precinct for all to enjoy and to enrich the city centre."

Mr Tuck said it was expected the installation work could take several days. "Of course it is all weather dependent and because it is Tauranga's first pedestrian friendly, shared-space environment there will be a strong focus on ensuring the street layout is created as safely as possible before we open the road up to traffic again. Hopefully by mid to late week we will be all set to go."

To celebrate the launch of the Wharf St Dining Precinct, a Winter Festival begins next Saturday, August 8.

"The festival runs throughout August and September with events and activities happening each week. To launch the street our first event next Saturday is a tapas market and urban dance display, from 11am to 2pm, then from the following week we have live music every Wednesday and Friday. from 12pm to 2pm. and activities each weekend," Mr Tuck said.

"The Wharf St Dining Precinct has been an amazing example of what can happen when like-minded businesses and passionate city centre people get together. There's plenty more to do on the street but stage one is now about to get under way."

The Wharf St concept would be rolled out in several stages. "What you will see next week is stage one of the initiative. It will be exciting to watch it develop from there."

Local Flava radio host Pat Spellman said he had teamed up with organisers to project manage the live stage, which will showcase local musicians during the week, and the weekend events.

"It's going to enhance the whole project by allowing a fun-feel dynamic to the events as opposed to going somewhere, getting something to eat and leaving again. People will be able to sit around and really enjoy what our city has to offer. Especially with the different types of music there will be on the live stage. It won't just be acoustic music, we have te reo Maori which will be contemporary Maori music, different types of DJs who will play different types of music like soul, funk and jazz, even some modern day African tunes.

"The music will add value to the experience so it is an experience as opposed to a destination."