HELEN STIRLING
Ideas are being sought from the community on improving the centre of Flaxmere's and residents are looking for a smarter upgrade.
Hastings District Council is holding two workshops seeking input from landowners, business owners and community groups to create a plan on how the town centre could be in the future and how it can be developed in a coordinated and cohesive way.
The focus is the Caernarvon Drive and Swansea Road block together with a council-owned residential block of land that extends to Chatham Road.
Resident Amanda Millar and her children are regular visitors to the library and swimming complex but don't enjoy the outdoor area.
"The buildings are in quite close vicinity but the walkways are not clear and it's barren looking. It's not an inviting place to be," she said.
"The facilities inside the library and swimming pool are great, people travel from Havelock North to use them, but on the outside it looks so deserted."
She believes the outdoor spaces should be places where she can meet up with friends and picnic with their children. "Some gardens would help. Put more seating and trees around creating smaller more intimate areas, that would help make it a more inviting place to be," Mrs Millar said.
"If we want to attract a different class of people to our area it needs to be more aesthetically pleasing and have pleasant spaces to enjoy time with family and friends."
Businessman Tim Klingender is hopeful that Hastings District Council and owner of the Flaxmere Village land, Ray Durney can achieve results together.
"If Ray (upgrades footpaths) alone, the retailers will, in effect, be paying for it and that ultimately means prices may go up or businesses may close," said the Flaxmere Pharmacy owner.
"There are 18 shops providing services to the whole area, it would be great for the area to be upgraded and it would create a better image for Flaxmere as well."
Dawne MacKay is heading the project and said they are looking at a wider area in a residential context, not than just the shopping village.
"We have involved key stakeholders to be part of the process to look at options that would benefit the whole community," she said.
The workshops for public participation are on tonight from 7pm and tomorrow from 3pm at the Flaxmere Baptist Church on Caernarvon Drive.
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