Dwyer was not one to talk endlessly about strategic plans – he got in and did things.
He described himself as a "fixer" – and liked sorting out things that were in a bit of mess.
He contracted polio as a child and spent time in hospital, where he formed his basic philosophy on life: "Walk the talk, however you like to put it. And that's my philosophy for Hastings. Lie down or get up and walk."
In 1998, Dwyer went to Santa Barbara as part of a study tour and studied cities that had suffered economically.
Santa Barbara, like Hastings in 1931, had most of its downtown destroyed by an earthquake in 1925 and rebuilt with some elaborate Spanish Mission buildings – as did Hastings, but on a smaller scale.
It was his visit to Santa Barbara that inspired him to go back to Hastings and promote a Landmarks idea that he had which identified four areas of focus – history, art in public places, architecture and landscape.
Dwyer, through these four mediums of the formed Landmarks Trust, wanted to increase or even give the community pride in itself – and giving Hastings a sense of identity.
The Landmarks philosophy is to consider the four "tenets" when undertaking a project or task – in other words can they improved by reference to history, architecture, landscaping and art in public places.
Hastings District Councillors Cynthia Bowers, Kevin Watkins, long-time Landmarks president Joyce Barry, Hastings District Council employees, Mark Clews, Colin Hosford and Rachel Stuart and others embraced the Landmarks philosophy of Jeremy.
Current Hastings mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst, has, since her days at the Hastings Business Association Hastings, put her time and effort into making Hastings a more vibrant place – long before becoming a councillor and then mayor. When on the council, I think she worked well with then Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers within the Landmarks philosophy.
The Landmarks Trust is not part of Hastings District Council but works closely with it and has influence by being involved in council projects at the planning stage. It has a voluntary advisory committee which also includes councillors. Council officers present the information to the committee.
Hanging flower baskets in the Hastings CBD, facade colour schemes for CBD buildings, tree planting, lighting effects on buildings and major projects of CBD upgrades to create a place where people would want to come to were examples of city beautification developed because of the Landmarks philosophy.
Examples of public art are the Hastings icons paintings in the CBD, Pou in Civic square and statutes of William Nelson in William Nelson Park and of Sir Andrew Russell in Russell St.
A major achievement of Landmarks was the beautification of the former Roy's Hill dump site, from Bowers' vision to turn this into a park. Many people including Landmark members and businesses got involved volunteering thousands of hours and provide plantings to beautify the area.
There are numerous examples of beautification and improvements that have occurred within Hastings due to the Landmarks philosophy.
Anyone can become a member of the Landmarks Trust (see the Hastings District Council website for details).
Every year when I take Art Deco tours during the festival in Hastings, many visitors particularly from overseas, principally here for Napier, remark along the lines of "I'm glad I came to Hastings, and what a pretty and well-kept city this is. And to think I almost didn't come here."
Most commented on the hanging baskets in the CBD (they also admire the streetlights).
As for Hastings's Most Beautiful Large Town award, Jeremy, would of course been quite proud.
• Michael Fowler will be giving a talk Aero during Deco on aviation in the 1920s and 30s in Hawke's Bay at the Havelock North Conference Centre, 7pm, Thursday, February 18 2021. Book at ITICKET or at the Art Deco Trust
• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher, commercial business writer of Hawke's Bay history
