City Focus priority for group

CHANGE: Checking City Focus yesterday were council economic and regulatory services group manager Mark Rawson (left), Carl Lucca from Beca, district councillor Karen Hunt, Inner City Focus Group's Mike Steiner and Ron Finn, stakeholder/council liaison officer Brigitte Nelson, Rotorua businessman Ray Cook and council Inner City Enterprises manager Nick Dallimore. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

As plans to revitalise the Rotorua CBD build momentum, those behind the project paid a visit to the City Focus.

Members of the Inner City Focus Group, councillors and council staff held a meeting yesterday where designers and planners Beca presented its first plans for the inner city, developed after consultation with stakeholders.

Before that meeting got under way some of the key figures met in the City Focus, which Inner City Focus Group founder Mike Steiner said would be one of the first priorities for redevelopment.

"It [City Focus] cuts the town in half," he said.

"To say we have talked to over 1000 people would be no exaggeration. They say we don't like going through it."

Mr Steiner said removing the visible barriers and pedestrianised area would open up Tutanekai St and allow the flow of both traffic and pedestrians.

Removing the large sails would "open up the sky again", he said.

Mr Steiner last week told a meeting options for the future of the inner city would be taken to the public for feedback after Christmas.

Meanwhile, council staff have begun work on reshaping the intersection at the corner of Pukuatua St and Tutanekai St.