FULL SUPPORT: Rye American Kitchen & Spirits owner Josh Fitzgerald supports creating the Wharf St Dining Precinct. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
FULL SUPPORT: Rye American Kitchen & Spirits owner Josh Fitzgerald supports creating the Wharf St Dining Precinct. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
Tauranga'S Wharf St will be narrowed, made into a one-way road and transformed into an exciting new downtown dining experience where the focus switches from cars to a relaxed atmosphere of lanterns and themed outdoor furniture.
A new weekly market is also being planned to bring people to the area. The bottom block of Wharf St will soon be one-way from Willow St to The Strand to make room for the new emphasis on people and eating.
Mainstreet Tauranga spokeswoman Sally Cooke said months of planning had gone into the transformation. The wharf theme, with overhead lanterns and history of the street, would provide ambience, she said.
It is more about creating an atmosphere ... people will be able to enjoy it year-round, with as much weather protection as we can.
The furniture was due to arrive on May 15 but there could be delays, she said.
Tauranga City Council transportation manager Martin Parkes said the road would be narrowed to one lane on the day the furniture went in. About 10 carparks would be lost and traffic that used Wharf St to reach Willow St would need to re-route to Hamilton St and Harington St.
The council was taking a cautious approach by making it a temporary set-up, with the flexibility to change the layout. Mr Parkes said businesses had supported the loss of carparks.
Costs were being met by the street's property and business owners and stakeholders, with the nearly finished building behind Creative Tauranga to offer additional hospitality leases.
FULL SUPPORT: Rye American Kitchen & Spirits owner Josh Fitzgerald supports creating the Wharf St Dining Precinct. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
Mainstreet was also working on events to support the dining precinct, including an art and cultural space. "It is more about creating an atmosphere ... people will be able to enjoy it year-round, with as much weather protection as we can," she said.
A proposal for a lunchtime market, featuring produce, art and artisan food, on the grassed area of the waterfront on The Strand on Fridays from 11am to 2pm was one of those.
Dry Dock owner Sandra Johnson said the artisan food sellers could add a degree of competition "but anything that helps bring more people into the CBD has got to be a good thing".
Josh Fitzgerald, one of the owners of Rye American Kitchen & Spirits in Wharf St, said he and his partners agreed it was a brilliant plan. "When you look at this street it needs character, and anything which adds character and culture has to be a good thing."
Mayor Stuart Crosby said the council backed the plan. "At the end of the day, we are tribal by nature and crowds attract crowds, so if Mainstreet Tauranga gets it right and creates the right environment, people will go there."
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