Retailers in Tauranga's central city are keen for new ideas to draw more people back into the CBD. Photo / File
Retailers in Tauranga's central city are keen for new ideas to draw more people back into the CBD. Photo / File
Replacing Tauranga's winter light display with a community Rugby World Cup event or providing a shuttle bus for shoppers are two of several ideas suggested to help resuscitate the city's centre.
Tauranga City councillors met with Downtown Tauranga representatives this afternoon at a workshop at chamber to discuss activating the city's central shopping area.
Downtown Tauranga spokeswoman Sally Cooke previously said the lack of foot traffic, construction and roading developments in the city centre had created a "crisis".
Downtown Tauranga's Sally Cooke with Tauranga CBD business owners who gathered at Red Square regarding the lack of shoppers. Photo / File
She proposed nine ideas packaged as part of an Activate Vacant Spaces proposal aimed at providing strategic solutions to draw more people into the CBD.
The ideas included reinstating the New Year's Eve family-friendly barbecue; replacing the Winter Nights Winter Lights Festival with an event of a similar calibre, free buses into the city centre, and free parking after 3pm and on Saturdays.
Elected members were mostly in support of the proposal, which will ultimately be decided at Tuesday's council meeting. Many said events in the heart of the city would be effective and achievable. Reinstatement of the New Year's Eve barbecue was already done.
Councillor Larry Baldock said there was scope to create a CBD event to tie in with the upcoming Rugby World Cup, such as a collective screening.
Councillor Leanne Brown used the former Wheels on Mainstreet as an example of family-friendly, day-time events that could be showcased on Grey St or somewhere similar.
Tauranga councillor Leanne Brown says the CBD could do with more events. Photo / File
"The fundamental philosophy here is to give people reasons to come and right now we aren't giving people reasons to come."
Brown said the Activate Spaces proposal had merit.
Councillors were less eager to support retailers with rates relief.
Baldock said the matter was complex and it did not necessarily filter down to the tenants. However, it was a "no brainer" to provide relief to retailers suffering a direct impact from construction.
Councillor Terry Molloy expressed concern the ideas were not bold enough to make a real difference.
"A lot of this is BAU - Business as usual. If we are serious about making change, we have to make big changes. We need game-changers here. This BAU isn't going to change anything."
A dozen retailers sitting in the public gallery were asked for their thoughts on a proposed bus shuttle to run shoppers around the CBD. Most were supportive of the idea.
The matter will be discussed again when the council formally meets on Tuesday.
