Mainstreet boss steps down

David Hart is proud of what he achieved during his seven months as Greerton Village Mainstreet manager.

David Hart has stepped down as Greerton Village Mainstreet manager after just seven months in the role - taking time with his family before setting his sights on his next goal.

Mr Hart took on the role after 10 years in London, bringing a fresh approach to the village.

He was thrown in head first for the first six months as he put together the annual illuminArt festival with the pressure of meeting and exceeding expectations. "It was a very steep learning curve. To be perfectly honest I was a bit of an absent father those past few months."

The yarn bombing was also a challenge for him.

Not a knitter himself, it was about getting the right people on board to make it happen, he said.

Looking back on the seven months, he was proud of what he achieved and proved to himself he could do it.

He wanted to move on at a convenient time so his replacement would have ample time to prepare for next year's major events. "I realised it was time to go in a new direction.

"I'm still figuring out what my next challenge is."

He thought Greerton was an amazing village with a great sense of community.

"I think it goes back to it being its own village before it got absorbed into the greater Tauranga.

"It has a clear identity and that's largely built around volunteering, helping out and giving things a go," he said.

"There's a real community atmosphere and I was really happy to be able to be a part of that."

The Greerton Mainstreet board is now on the hunt for a new manager.