Mainstreet works on towns' revamp

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 522, 8 February 1994, Page 3

Mainstreet works on towns' revamp

Consultation with the communities of Raetihi and Ohakune is essential to the success of the Mainstreet programme, the Waimarino Community Board was told at their meeting last Thursday. Mainstreet interim co-ordinator Sue Allomes and urban designer John Achari made a presentation on their projects to the board, outlining first the various aspects of the overall programme, then outlining the central business district redesign process. Mrs Allomes explained that the programme has five parts; setting up a local committee, organising promotional activities, working on town design concepts to lift the image of the two towns, promoting the towns out of the area, heritage conservation, and beautification programmes. She said there was already a strong Mainstreet group, of 14-18 people from Ohakune and Raetihi as well as the Ruapehu South Business Association committee of 12 people. A number of public meetings had been held and support for the programme was strong. Next Mr Achari presented various plans that he had drawn for other towns' main streets. These included Tauranga, Nelson and Katikati in the Bay of Plenty. 'The design process for the towns is one of the stages of the overall development of the towns," said Mr Ashari. "It involves the visual things around the town - the street furniture, the trees, the plantings, paving etc." He said this was all important in improving the image of a town and creating a "welcome" doormat for people. 'The concept plan has to have community input. We haVe to ask the community what is important about what is already here - for Ohakune it might be the natural bush setting, the walkways, the old buildings. For Raetihi it might be the wide main street, milling." "Unless there is community input, unless the community has a say the people probably wouldn't stand behind it and it wouldn't happen." He said this consultation meant the process would take longer - up to two months - but that it was essential. Some aspects of the plans needed to be implemented

quickly after that so people could see something was being done. The process started with analysis of the town, surveying the people, working on a design theme, preparing a draft plan which would then be put to the people, then preparing the final plan. The board reinforced its support of the programme but put off a decision about funding for it (see separate story).