Editorial: It's time to clean out CBD

People urinating and defecating at and near a new pocket park the council built last year, highlighted in a Hawke's Bay Today story earlier this week, is indicative of a larger problem the city of Hastings faces.

It is sad that the beautifully put together Warren St space, which should be a city asset, will inevitably turn into an eyesore populated by our least desirable citizens should such behaviour be allowed to go unchecked.

While the call for a toilet at the space has some merit, it is not the total answer. What about self-control, or attending to your children's needs before coming into town, or being organised enough while there to use one of the toilets available - Russell St, King St, various business premises? I don't buy the argument that a two-block walk is too far. That's just a lazy mind controlling a lazy body.

There will always be problems in a CBD associated with those who loiter. Every city in the country faces that - especially at night.

But my beef with Hastings is how people are behaving by day. And it could just be contributing to what appears to be a worrying downturn in the city recently highlighted by the loss of Readings Cinema, and the growing number of empty or ever-changing shops.

Texters to the newspaper late last week expressed some of what I have been feeling when I have ventured on to the streets of a city where I was born and raised.

One typed: "No wonder people don't go to Hastings cinema. Low lifes hanging around are intimidating. Nobody wants to take kids into that. The scumbags win again. Centre needs a clean up."

Another said: "What's up with some of our youth hanging around Hastings CBD behaving like idiots? NZ police need to adopt a move-on order similar to that of their Aussie counterparts."

And yet another said, "When is Hastings District Council, police and the Retailers Association going to clean up Hastings CBD to make it safer for locals and visitors alike. Too many undesirables hang out and intimidate folk here - day or night in the middle of Hastings."

This is not kneejerk reaction. These people have, like myself, watched the deterioration of standards in our CBD and formed an opinion which is spot on.

I don't know how many times I have seen aimless youth, who should be in school, dominating footpaths while some of our elderly residents squeeze by.

It is but one of the social problems displayed in full colour in front of our eyes on a daily basis. Mental illness, addiction, unplanned children, aggression ... you name it, it's there.

Am I painting an overly ugly picture? Those texters don't think so. It's time for the council and the police to look at methods of not only moving the undesirable loiterers on, but also moving them out. Then my co-workers and I can continue to enjoy a spot of sun in Warren Street.