26 June 2024
Media: NZME
Topic: CBD changes over the years
Enquiry
*NOTE: The following was sent to RLC organisation as well as the Mayor’s office:
I am writing a story for a series that NZME is doing about changes in regional high streets over the past 20 years - including Rotorua. Issues such as parking, crime and the loss of businesses in the CBD have impacted how the CBD has changed. Can you please answer the below questions?
Over the last twenty years, how has Rotorua CBD changed?
How has changes such as parking and crime impacted Rotorua CBD?
How will these changes continue to impact Rotorua CBD?
Where do you see Rotorua CBD ten years from now?
How will changes that are being made impact the future of Rotorua CBD?
What would be considered to be the biggest change made in Rotorua CBD?
How has this change positively and negatively impacted Rotorua CBD?
What change that has been made greatly benefited Rotorua CBD?
Will this change continue to benefit Rotorua CBD?
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Response
From Group Manager Community and District Development Jean-Paul Gaston:
Rotorua Lakes Council has had an ongoing programme of CBD improvements aimed at creating a vibrant inner city that supports local business and attracts people, activities, events and development.
Changes over the years have included:
Creation of covered outdoor dining precinct Eat Streat at the lake end of Tutanekai Street (which is our “high street”)
Improvements to intersections along Tutanekai Street featuring artworks and gardens
Inner city murals (including along Tutanekai Street)
New seating, new lighting and the addition of bike parking
Established inner city markets (held in Tutanekai St) to draw people into the CBD and provide opportunities for existing CBD businesses
Revamping the central CBD intersection/plaza (Tutanekai and Hinemoa streets) to modernise and open up this area
Parking changes made in collaboration with inner city businesses providing for some time-limited free parking to align capacity and demand. These changes were also aligned with Tutanekai Street, which connects to the lakefront, becoming the “spine” of the CBD and the focus for the likes of intersection upgrades and installation of artworks
Late last year we established a Community Safety Hub in our CBD (near the intersection of Tutanekai and Hinemoa streets) as a base for our collaborative approach to community safety alongside police, Maori wardens and other partners.
Council continues to encourage development of inner city living and we have during the past 20 years seen a couple of residential apartment developments and new CBD hotels.
During the past two years we have worked on foundational work to help guide further development and revitalisation of our CBD, including working with mana whenua and Te Arawa on cultural foundations to inform the future form of our inner city.
A master plan will be developed in collaboration with key stakeholders – there will be consultation with the community before the plan is finalised and implemented.
Changes to date have been of benefit in terms of refreshing and reinvigorating the CBD and providing opportunities for businesses and investors. Covid, as it did everywhere, impacted our business sector and changes to the way people shop continue to evolve and have an impact, but while we have seen businesses close, we have also continued to see new businesses emerge.
Our inner city has a large footprint which creates both challenges and opportunities and we look forward to working with our community on the next iteration of our CBD.
Mayor Tapsell provided the following comment:
“We’re pleased to report there’s been a rapid reduction in CBD crime since we actioned our joint community safety plan, and established our Community Safety Hub, which sees Rotorua Lakes Council, Police and others working together to improve community safety.
“We see this as a great start towards revitalising our inner city and continuing to build confidence for our businesses, community, and our many visitors who are returning.”
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Homeless in tent in CBD
Enquiry
We have been made aware of homeless sleeping in a tent on Amohia St. I've heard this has been happening during the past few weeks, at the McDonalds corner also.
Can you please let me know if you're aware of it, if you've done anything about it, what bylaw they are breaching, what the penalties are and what dangers they pose.
Can you let me know by the end of the day?
Response
From Director - Community Safety and Regulatory Services, Mihikore Owen
Council is aware and our Safe City Guardians are working with the people concerned to try and connect them with support services.
Whenever our Safe City Guardians come across people sleeping rough, they offer to connect them to support services and advise of holiday parks and sites where camping is permitted.
Council’s General Bylaw does not without permission, allow camping in any areas not set aside for the purpose. It also does not allow any person to place or leave any material or thing in a public place that could obstruct public right of passage.
Any person that does not comply with a notice or order in relation to the Bylaw, is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
However, our first response is always to encourage rough sleepers to take up support services or move to sites where camping is permitted. Trespassing them is always a last resort.
Council is working with agencies that provide social services to come up with solutions for dealing with these types of situations moving forward.