Mike Steiner pushing for change in the CBD

Mike Steiner has a strong belief in personal responsibility.

It is what has pushed him, and others in the Inner City Focus Group, to get the "scruffy" CBD "sparkling" again.

The Kaponga-bred boy, and a Rotorua retailer for nearly 50 years, has been behind the impetus to make the city attractive and welcoming to shoppers again.

He has been chosen as the Rotorua Daily Post Person of the Month for November.

He was named Business Person of the Year at the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards in October.

Mr Steiner instigated the Inner City Focus Group after standing up in a council pre-election meeting to argue there was a better option than using the old Westpac Bank building as a super loo.

He told stakeholders at the meeting putting a super loo in the building to revitalise the inner city "was not going to do it".

"The meeting was a disaster for me ... I lost my cool," he said.

But he struck a chord with some of the attendees, and more importantly with the powers that be, in a submission to Rotorua District Council's annual plan.

He emailed stakeholders at the meeting and asked whether they disagreed or agreed with his view. Everyone was entitled to an opinion, he said.

"I cajoled and bullied everyone . . . the decision makers could see where we were going and there was good, productive conversation.

"I just believed it was time to stand up if we wanted to be included in the revitalisation and rebuild."

It is part of his underlying philosophy to take responsibility - something he strongly believes is missing from today's society.

"We don't take enough personal responsibility - we leave it up to others - it was time we took what we had here in Rotorua and put our best foot forward to put our own house in order."

The Inner City Focus Group plans are not new, with many cities in New Zealand and around the world undergoing revivals, he said.

"What we are doing is not bold, it is just common sense."

So far the response to the revitalisation of the inner city had been "phenomenal", he added.

Gardens have been replanted, buildings repainted and sculptures installed to make the CBD bright, attractive and pleasant for shoppers to be in, he said.

"It's been absolutely fantastic, people are energised ...

"Everyone has got on board to support the ideas."

He promised there were more projects to come - some of which will be "exciting", others which may be "hard to swallow".

"The main thing is everything is being looked at.

"Over the next 10-20 years Rotorua will have a new look - there will be more inner city living, more green spaces, as people return to the area."