Outdoor dining and entertainment in the city centre is looking to get even better with the City Transformation Committee approving $190,000 to create a detailed design to upgrade Wharf Street.
Wharf Street, between the Strand and Willow Street, is a well-known hot spot for cafés, restaurants and bars, and has been running a trial to introduce more shared space and outdoor seating areas.
The trial to create more shared space was initiated by Downtown Tauranga and a number of local businesses, and has proven the value in creating a more welcoming open shared space for people, outdoor dining and activities.
'The upgrade to Wharf Street will provide an added attraction to the city centre for visitors and locals alike,” says chair of the City Transformation Committee Larry Baldock.
'Since the trial, Wharf Street has seen more hospitality businesses move to this area and it's great to see more and more people out enjoying this space.”
The concept designs have evolved from community engagement and ongoing feedback with Wharf Street property and business owners.
A community open day for Wharf Street held last year, showed key themes of community feedback:
• having a focus on outdoor dining,
• a place that facilitates events,
• a place that is pedestrian only with restricted vehicle access, and
• for it to be done well.
The project aligns with the Tauranga City Centre Spatial Framework that has a vision for shared people spaces, with a pedestrian focus and greater allocation to outdoor seating opportunities.
The new street design and street programme options entice events and festivals to be held within this space, creating added social and economic benefits to local businesses
and the community, as well as contributing to a vibrant, successful city centre.
'I would like to acknowledge the local businesses who have worked extremely well together, it is thanks to their enthusiasm that we have been able to get this project off the ground,” says Larry.
'I am excited to see this development happen with the benefits it will bring to local businesses, and for everyone coming into the city centre to enjoy memorable dinning experiences.”
5 comments
Lets not get carried away
Posted on 08-08-2018 12:09 | By Scoop
To call the current Wharf Street a hot spot for cafe's restaurants and bars is taking things a tad too far. Yes there are some establishments that are popular but there are also other that do not fall into the hospitality category or are at present closed. Don't get me wrong I am fully supportive of what is trying to be achieved however if Wharf Street is to become as popular as Eat Street in Rotorua it must contain the right mix of venues that will pull the crowds. At present it is far from that.
Yab A Dabba Doo
Posted on 08-08-2018 15:24 | By The Sage
Good old Larry to the rescue.....let's hope the design is better than the current one that looks like it is a mock up of the Flinstones. Don't know why they are bothering to spend all that money as, having dined at least one evening a week downtown, I never do now due to the poor parking. I know I am not the only one sharing this view.
If at first you don't succeed
Posted on 08-08-2018 17:29 | By backofthequeue
Here's hoping a second attempt at creating a food precinct in Wharf Street is more successful than the previous effort. First thing on the "to do" list has be to ensure that all overhead structures are going to remain overhead.
Wharf Street
Posted on 08-08-2018 19:16 | By surfsup
Oh dear here we go again. First we put up lights that fell down, then we put huge blocks of wood in the street and now we are trying to compare it with Eat street in Rotorua. Wharf street is a different beast which may be able to be transformed at what cost though, and is it the responsibility of the council to help private business profit when so many basic areas of council responsibility fall far short of what can be deemed an acceptable level of service.
Have to agree with The Sage !
Posted on 08-08-2018 23:58 | By The Caveman
The biggest problem is PARKING, especially for disabled people. Not only has all the the normal parking in the area been wiped out, disabled parking is totally non-existent.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.