Fallen takes over as Mainstreet Whanganui chairman

Ross Fallen is the new chairman of Mainstreet Whanganui.

Naturally, Mainstreet Whanganui's new chairman thinks the town centre is one of Whanganui's greatest assets.

Ross Fallen won a contested election last week and now heads an expanded board of 13 members.

It meets for the first time next week and over the coming year Mr Fallen said its priority would be to implement the recommendations of the recent review of the 27-year-old organisation.

The review suggested better communications and engagement with its 240 members in decision making, marketing Mainstreet beyond the district and continuing the vibrancy of the town centre, Mr Fallen said.

"Some felt they didn't have enough ownership about the things that were happening in the main street and this is what we need to attend to.

"The momentum from the members is still there and we can't lose that momentum. We very quickly need to have ... outcomes. This board is keen to get things done."

Mr Fallen said while Mainstreet had a good relationship with Whanganui District Council, he wanted it to have more autonomy.

"If we're running this town centre it would be important that we have greater autonomy in that role and a faster process financially to carry out that vision."

Mainstreet runs events and initiatives to promote the town centre and has a contract with council for the cleaning and maintenance of the CBD.

Mr Fallen said Whanganui's town centre was what most visitors remarked on and that needed to be sold.

"We have the greatest range, in a short zone, of colonial to contemporary buildings," he said.

"We're a boutique town, we are a heritage town and we have yet to grab that reality and make it even bigger than what it is."

Mr Fallen moved back to Whanganui from Perth three and a half years ago and said it was after losing his home in the 2015 flood that he decided to stay.

"Believe it or not that disaster cemented my decision that I'd made the right decision to come home because it was very real and how the community engaged in supporting each other through that was just amazing."

Mr Fallen is also the chairman of Artists Open Studios Trust, the Pakaitore Historic Reserves Board and was a council candidate in 2016.