It's not all doom and gloom in River City

DAVE HILL'S opinion article in the Chronicle last week about the empty shops in the Wanganui central business district and the challenges facing our local economy has - as was intended - provoked plenty of comment.

Even TV and radio commentator Duncan Garner has had a pop at the city centre, as reported on yesterday's front page.

Mr Hill, a businessman and former chairman of Destination Whanganui Providers and former board member of Visit Whanganui, feared "ghost town" status rather than a "zombie town", but it adds up to the same thing.

Yes, the Wanganui economy has its struggles and the plethora of "To Let" signs along Victoria Ave do not make a pretty picture, but all is not doom and gloom.

It seems a number of people want to hold the district council responsible for boosting business activity in the city, and this attitude is one seen elsewhere in New Zealand.

Certainly, councils can facilitate business and smooth the way, but their role is to govern and regulate - often having to manage onerous requirements passed down by central government and, thus, prey to political whims - and it seems the expectations placed on our local representatives and officers are unfair. If they had a silver bullet for economic malaise, they would have fired it.

Setting aside agriculture, much of the New Zealand economy is driven by small to medium-sized businesses and our future is, to a significant degree, in their hands. Wanganui has a number of such enterprises operating successfully, but we could always use more.

And as for the empty shops ... well, retail is changing and CBDs will have to offer different attractions to stay vibrant. Moves to develop an artists' and heritage quarter around Taupo Quay is one example of this.