Views expressed on City Focus

Residents can vote for which concept they prefer.

The Ideas Store is back in the city centre, this time to find out what people think of the three design concepts for the future of the City Focus.

Visitors can have a closer look at the concept drawings, talk about their merits and what they would like to see in the area and then cast their vote.

The refresh of the City Focus is part of the Rotorua Lakes Council's Inner City Revitalisation Strategy.

The council has commissioned three concepts that could potentially be developed for freshening up the area.

Councillor Karen Hunt, who is leading the Inner City Revitalisation portfolio, said the CBD had been revamped when she moved here 25 years ago.

"It's time for a new one," she said.

"This isn't about removing City Focus, but it is about updating it and making it work better to meet the needs of today and tomorrow."

She said the current City Focus had a natural flow to it, which meant people were guided from the Central Mall along the western side of Tutanekai St, into City Focus and across to the eastern side of Tutanekai St.

That was the opposite side of the street to the majority of empty shops.

"Sit at either Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and all you see is a wall," she said.

"At Starbucks you can't see the buildings on the other side of the street."

She said the current design of the City Focus went against crime prevention through environmental design features.

"It would be remiss of us to continue when we know there are crime issues with the infrastructure we've created."

Three votes were cast within minutes of the store opening yesterday.

Rotorua resident Karin Vincent said she voted for concept number three.

"It's exciting," she said.

"I think it's going to take Rotorua to the next level.

"There are endless possibilities. I liked number three. All of them include a stage but I liked three because of the greener areas."

-The designs can also be viewed and feedback submitted online at www.rdc.govt.nz.