MEDIA RELEASE
April19 2005

Parramatta Lord Mayor And Councillors Visit Waitakere

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey and Chief Executive Officer Harry O’Rourke will host the Lord Mayor Julia Finn and a number of senior Councillors from Parramatta on Thursday (April 21).

The visit follows a fact finding visit by Mr Harvey and Mr O’Rourke to Parramatta late last year, during which they excited their Australian counterparts with the good work being done in Waitakere.

The two cities believe they have a lot to learn from each other. In Waitakere’s case Mr Harvey and Mr O’Rourke have noted Parramatta has been designated Sydney’s second business district by the New South Wales Government.

“There are many similarities between Parramatta and Waitakere. Parramatta is turning vision to reality and attracting stakeholders into the area for job creation, employment and community wealth,” says Mayor Harvey.

“In streets not unlike Henderson, Parramatta has brought the cafes out onto the streets and made them boutique and exciting. They’ve kept old and new customers and brought in new business. These are some of the ways we could lift the game in Waitakere.”

Parramatta and Waitakere are both building CBD town centres and transport hubs so a visit to the Waitakere Central site will be of particular interest to the Parramatta delegation.

The delegation will also visit a number of sites including the Trusts Stadium, Harbourview Estate and the Henderson Valley Film Studios following a formal welcome to the city at Hoani Waititi Marae.

Members will also view a number of strategic presentations about Waitakere as an Eco-City, its Asset Management and Economic Development plans and processes and Waitakere’s relationship with its Chinese Sister City Ningbo.

“We have much to share and learn from each other and this mutual exchange of personal experience and elected member expertise is invaluable in moving towards a well planned and thought out future for both Waitakere and Parramatta,” says Mayor Harvey.

ENDS

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