Winter festival to launch city dining precinct

Rye American Kitchen & Spirits owner Josh Fitzgerald supports creating the Wharf St Dining Precinct. Photo/Andrew Warner

A six-week winter festival will launch the opening of a new central city dining precinct.

The Wharf St dining precinct will be launched on July 25, encompassing the street area between The Strand and Willow St.

The dining precinct will be initially opened as a 'shared space' environment where pedestrians and traffic share the space. Traffic access will be reduced to a narrower, one-way route to The Strand.

It will have themed entranceways at both ends of the street, overhead lanterns, wharf themed seating at some of the restaurants and eateries, community seating areas and a staged area for live performances, exhibitions and art and cultural offerings.

Mainstreet Tauranga Chair Glenn Tuck said the organisation was grateful to those businesses and organisations who had joined Mainstreet to contribute to the revitalisation of the city centre.

Project Manager Sally Cooke said the themed furniture was nearing completion and the overhead lanterns were on route to New Zealand.

"Weather permitting they will arrive in port mid July and our installation of all components is set for completion by July 25 for all to enjoy."

Ms Cooke said the Wharf St Winter Fest was designed to ensure there were a variety of food, art and entertainment attractions and events in the new precinct that would attract people into the city centre.

Josh Fitzgerald, one of the owners of Rye American Kitchen and Spirits said all involved were "super excited" to get the street off the ground as soon as possible.

"But we want to make sure it's done right from day one and the extra time has allowed us to build a real festival atmosphere around the opening which is exciting."

Tauranga City Council transportation manager Martin Parkes said the council would be monitoring the model from day one to ensure the street layout works best for all.

"We have looked at how other shared space works and we have talked to a number of different stakeholders to understand the local issues. We may need to be flexible with the new street layout, particularly during the first year as everyone settles into the new space. It's about seeing what works and adapting to the unknowns.

"This is an exciting project and we are confident that it is going to work really well."

Mainstreet chairman Glenn Tuck said storyboard displays would be displayed to capture the history and heritage of Wharf St.

"We have been able to utilise railway sleepers from the old Matapihi Railway Bridge in the furniture and items on the street. This combined with the overhead lanterns and historical notes on the street should create something pretty special in the city centre for both the businesses and the public who come to enjoy it.

"Our focus is fairly and squarely on attracting more people into the city centre and giving them unique reasons to stay longer. This initiative allows us to support our hospitality sector and in turn our city centre by creating something unique for Downtown Tauranga."