Our View: vision for city laudable

Priority One's vision for Tauranga's downtown waterfront deserves serious consideration.
The city's economic development agency has unveiled more detail and images of how it sees this critical area of the city looking in years to come.
The plan includes a passive green area between two commercially focused hubs and transforming Dive Cres into a pedestrian-friendly fisherman's wharf and market area by shifting the link with The Strand further north opposite the Cargo Shed.
These ideas were presented to city councillors at a workshop yesterday - and thankfully drew an enthusiastic response.
It is proposed the ideas are rolled out in stages and together they provide a more vibrant plan than what is currently being looked at by the council.
The driving force behind Priority One's vision is to provide a reason for businesses and people to use the area.
This is a plan to be commended. The waterfront area is prime real estate but under-utilised.
It borders a fabulous harbour and view, and restaurant and bar strip along The Strand.
But overall it is drab and needs overhauling.
The entire strip could become an upmarket business and retail shopping and entertainment hub that keeps plenty of the area's natural beauty. It could be a real drawcard.
Priority One deserves praise for entering this debate and providing another point of view, even if it is late in the planning process.
Tauranga is set to grow immensely and our city needs to develop and grow accordingly.
Having said this, Priority One has not worked out how much this will cost - and the big question is whether Tauranga ratepayers want to spend the millions it will no doubt cost. It is also unclear how close it is to the budget of the current waterfront proposal.
It is important councillors get plenty of public input before they go down a path that is ultimately not what the people want.
The waterfront museum debacle should still be fresh in the minds of most councillors.