Ideas Shop gets locals thinking

Hamurana's Heather Sayer was the first winner of the council's weekly Ideas Shop prize draw. Photo / Ben Fraser

Winner drawn each week from top suggestions for new project.

The good ideas are flowing into the Rotorua District Council's new Ideas Shop on Tutanekai St, with about 45 people a day visiting.

One of those visitors was Hamurana's Heather Sayer, who was the first winner of the council's weekly Ideas Store prize draw.

The Ideas Shop, opposite The Flight Centre, is open until January 10 and allows members of the community to submit their thoughts, feedback and ideas on the council's policies and projects.

Miss Sayer popped in to the store last week to give the council some ideas about recycling and the need to increase local awareness about the subject.

A keen recycler herself, Miss Sayer said she also wanted to see the council set up a recycling centre in Ngongotaha.

"It [the Ideas Shop] is an excellent idea and a real opportunity for people to have their say.

"I do like the council's new focus on things like sport and recreation and the other focus groups they have set up," she said.

Miss Sayer left the store with a bundle of rubbish bags, vouchers for the Aquatic Centre and museum, a parking pass for the parking building and some chocolate. Ideas Store manager Sharon Vigor Brown said each week one person's idea would be drawn with that person winning a prize pack.

"What we want to do is implement these ideas really quickly, and we are reviewing all of the ideas we get each week so we can do this.

"It's been really popular, we are seeing about 45 people a day and there's been a lot of support for the new strategies."

-The Ideas Shop is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm (until 7pm on Thursdays) and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.