Mainstreet Wanganui will reflect on past achievements and contemplate future projects when it celebrates its 20th birthday on Friday.
Mainstreet marketing manager Elise Goodge said present and past staff and committee members would celebrate with drinks and nibbles at Element Cafe and Restaurant on Friday evening.
"There will be quite a few
at the get-together and no doubt we will reflect on Mainstreet's achievements over the past 20 years," Ms Goodge said.
The most notable achievements included the redevelopment of Wanganui's central business district 20 years ago, from which the organisation was born.
"When the Wanganui District Council announced it was planning the redevelopment, retailers wanted a say in how it was done and Mainstreet was born. Basically, Mainstreet was a lobby group on behalf of retailers ensuring their needs were met. It was a great collaboration between council and retailers," Ms Goodge said.
Two other major achievements were the development of Majestic Square and Mainstreet's securing the maintenance contract for the CBD.
"The Majestic Square development was heavily driven by Mainstreet and project managed by council. It was quite controversial at the time but today I don't think anyone could [imagine] Wanganui's CBD without the square.
"And taking over the maintenance contract for the CBD was a major achievement. Other centres have tried unsuccessfully to do this and I think some are quite jealous of the success we have had.
"We are the only city in the country to have a group like Mainstreet running a maintenance contract," Ms Goodge said.
