Letters: Council needs to do something to save the CBD

A reader was alarmed at the lack of shoppers in the Tauranga CBD during a recent visit. Photo / File

It is clearly obvious that the Tauranga council need to address the CBD/Strand.

I drove through town late Saturday morning and I noticed how so few people were walking around town. It was eerily quiet and there were a lot of car spaces.

The council splashed money on a kids' playground to attract people to the Strand but do these young families have the disposable income to spend? I would say not having been there myself.

The people with money are the older generations, we need to target this.

How do we do this?

We turn the Strand into pedestrian-only place, make it friendly, with extra seating areas, maybe some covered spaces like they have done in Rotorua.

Sixteen years ago, when we moved to this area from the UK, the Strand was a fantastic, vibrant place to eat and drink. We walked from one bar to the next which was awesome.
Since putting barriers up and cutting off through walking we lost something unique.

New Plymouth has a great CBD and it's very vibrant. If they can do it why can't we?

In my view, something is seriously wrong with our council. Make some changes before more businesses go kaput.

Rob Clark
Papamoa

Elizabeth St plan

I am again astounded that the council could be considering spending $20 million on Elizabeth St (News, August 5), which, in my view, would have detrimental effects on businesses, just as Durham St has.

I wonder why they don't invest ratepayers' money fixing huge botch ups such as Greerton. Who is giving the go-ahead to spend our ratepayer money so stupidly?

Linda Textor
Tauranga

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