Rotorua pedestrians and drivers have spent months negotiating the central city roadworks but now Te Manawa - The Heart of the City is open.
The new $1.135 million "shared space" that was formerly the site of the City Focus opened to traffic on Tuesday.
It's the first time motorists have been able to turn in any direction at the Tutanekai and Hinemoa Sts crossroads since the City Focus was built in the early 1990s.
Winter rain delayed the planned opening in early August, but workers have been able to speed through the finishing touches in recent weeks.
Feedback on the new shared space has been mixed, according to people commenting on a video of traffic using the new shared space on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page.
Some people said it looked "plain and boring", "dangerous" and "a waste of money", while others thought it looked "nice".
Some readers were confused how sight-impaired people would negotiate the new shared space without having kerbs and footpaths to guide them.
The council replied on Facebook to the queries, saying there were rumble strips around Te Manawa that alerted people with sight impairments they were crossing into an area where there was traffic.
"Pedestrians have right of way so it is the driver's responsibility to be travelling slow enough to stop to let people cross in front of them," the council said.
Drivers can now drive, slowly, through Te Manawa - The Heart of the City. Photo/Ben Fraser
An official celebration to mark the opening of Te Manawa will be held on Sunday from 9am to 1pm alongside the Rotorua Farmers Market.
Locals are encouraged to bring family along to enjoy the fresh produce, music, games for the kids and giveaways. Those who ride their bikes are in to win CyWay giveaways.
Council staff will be there to talk about the new space and how it works.
Te Manawa - The Heart of the City
Why did the council make the decision to change City Focus? Ongoing revitalisation and improvement of the inner city has been a council priority for about a decade and in recent years feedback from retailers, visitors, workers and businesses highlighted to the council that change was needed.
What is Te Manawa? Te Manawa is Rotorua's first shared zone. It is a place for people to gather and enjoy while spending time in the inner city.
What is a shared zone? Shared zones are all about bringing the users of the road together by removing typical things you would see on a street such as kerbs or footpaths, and adding street furniture and landscaping to direct traffic.
Are shared zones safe? Making the space less like a typical street makes it a safer environment for users. This is because, without normal streetscape to rely on and with a narrow roadway, pedestrians, drivers and other users become more aware of what is going on around them and take greater care.
• Information supplied by the Rotorua Lakes Council
