NEWS RELEASE

Thursday 8 January 2015

Rotorua revitalisation projects boosting inner city foot traffic

Rotorua’s inner city revitalisation strategy appears to be paying dividends with an increase in foot traffic being recorded in the central city, reversing previous trends.

According to the latest foot traffic count there was an eight per cent increase in pedestrians along Tutanekai Street compared to the same period surveyed in 2013.

Across the wider CBD the average increase was 5.1 per cent while investment in Rotorua Central Mall’s recent upgrade has seen a 21 per cent increase in foot traffic recorded at the complex.

The annual independent pedestrian count was carried out by the Property Institute of New Zealand at 37 separate locations across the central city in October (2014).

Rotorua Lakes Council’s Inner City Revitalisation Portfolio lead, Councillor Karen Hunt, said she was “cautiously optimistic” that the inner city had turned the corner after a tough few years, and better times were ahead.

“The collaborative partnership effort with the Inner City Focus Group, local businesses and retailers to bring new life and vigour to the inner city, was starting to pay off - particularly our focus on strengthening Tutanekai Street as the connecting ‘spine’ of the city.

“It’s become increasingly clear that this partnership has given the inner city a fresh, vibrant look and, anecdotally, there’s more buzz and vitality around town. This new pedestrian count seems to provide supporting evidence of this although it’s early days yet. The test will be whether these numbers can be sustained in the future, and hopefully built on further,” Ms Hunt said.

Inner City Focus Group spokesperson Mike Steiner said the new foot traffic results were a reversal of recent trends for declining pedestrian volumes.

“We’re hopeful that this is the start of a turnaround for the inner city with improved prospects for businesses. In the last 12 months or so there’s been a huge effort by business operators and the council that’s giving Rotorua a much needed shot in the arm, but we still have a long way to go.

“Businesses now have an opportunity to work together to increase their market share, contribute to the overall vibrancy and to make things happen. If we work hard at it and keep the ideas coming we’ll continue to encourage people back into the inner city .

“The number of people making very positive remarks about what’s been achieved to date and what’s been happening is significant - both locals and visitors alike - and all agree they’re enjoying being in a safe, friendly and attractive environment .

“Our next step is to encourage innovative, entrepreneurial retailers and other businesses to increase their offer in Rotorua’s inner city. “

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said Rotorua Lakes Council was on track to achieve the key inner city priority goal it set with the community for the current council term as part of the Rotorua 2030 vision – ‘to develop a vibrant city heart that attracts people and activity.’

“The agreed measure of success for that major goal is covered by five objectives – fewer empty shops, more people on the streets, retailer optimism, more inner city diversity, and perceptions that the inner city is an exciting and safe place to be.

“The feedback I’m getting from retailers, food outlets, other business operators, shoppers and visitors alike is that our inner city is a now a much more inviting and lively place than in the past. That feedback is very encouraging.”

Mrs Chadwick pointed to a raft of projects that had contributed significantly to the growth in foot traffic including the free parking trial, intersection upgrades, more pedestrian-friendly street crossings, Eat Streat, the Night Market, colourful murals, sculptures, tag-free walls, new public seating, landscaping and street plantings.

She said other initiatives on the horizon, like the proposed Green Corridor, cycle links, improved bus routes, central tourist coach stops, and more conveniently located campervan parking, should help keep the momentum going.

“I take my hat off to local businesses who have got right behind the inner city’s revitalisation programme. They’ve supported events that bring people into town, they’ve spruced up their shop fronts, they’ve worked hard at improving their customers’ experience, and they’ve worked closely with the council and police on public safety measures.

“I think we can confidently say that today Rotorua’s inner city is a much more vibrant, attractive, safe and busy place than in past years, and that’s real progress that we can be proud of.”

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