Waikato Business News June/July 2018

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS June/July 2018
3
Pressing Play in the CBD
From page 1
led activities in the CBD,” says
Vanessa.
“It’s amazing how spaces
transform with activation and
with people. We need a calendar
of activities that supports
our growing city and those
people that are choosing to visit
and stay in Hamilton.”
Mike believes that now is
the time for Hamilton to really
shine.
People are coming
back on a daily
basis and we want
to ensure we give
them reasons to keep
coming back.
“Statistical analysis of
Hamilton’s CBD continues to
show favourable results with
central city spend steadily
increasing and vacancy rates
near their lowest in 15 years.
Garden Place is in the throes
of a mini-transformation with
the library set to reopen, Stark
properties’ recent purchase of a
major building in Garden Place
and Creative Waikato set to take
over a prominent site near the
opposite corner. These changes
will all positively contribute to
the Garden Place space”.
But Vanessa and Mike stress
it is not just Garden Place to be
utilised. Victoria on the River
Victoria on the River is one of four public spaces
set to benefit from a new CBD activation plan.
with is amphitheatre setting
and “cool factor”, Embassy
Park’s alternative vibe and the
blank canvas of Civic Square
all provide opportunities for
events.
The key to the plan, Vanessa
says, is to capitalise on what we
already have in the city and the
wider region. It is recognising
major events through city decoration
and banners, it’s looking
to partner with existing community
activities and seeing
what can be reproduced in the
CBD or even as a just a teaser
to a bigger event that is happening
in the region.
“We are looking to have
things happening around the
CBD on a continuous basis,
which could be at one site at a
time or through a series of sites.
At this stage we are very open
to the potential that exists. We
are also mindful that events
are only one part of activation.
These spaces could benefit
from art installations, popup
parks, exercise classes and
school holiday programmes”.
The plan starts in the July
school holidays with a Winter
Wonderland in Garden Place,
featuring an ice skating rink,
music, lighting and even an
inflatable snow globe. At the
peak of Winter this is an opportunity
for Hamiltonians to
embrace the cold, put on Winter
woollies and skate through
the second week of the school
holidays.
Many other discussions for
activities are currently underway
and HCBA would like to
see this result in pop-up micro
sites of some of the region’s
major tourist attractions, collaboration
with the educational
institutions to replicate activities
in the CBD, more community
groups enjoying the public
spaces and exhibition or market
opportunities from existing or
potential businesses.
“Public spaces provide
opportunities for people and
this is what we want to see.
We want Hamiltonians who
haven’t been to the central city
recently, to come in and enjoy
what it has to offer.”
Mike believes we wouldn’t
have been having this conversation
a decade ago, but with
the growing vibrancy created
by the businesses, students and
tourists, the timing is now perfect.
“People are coming back
on a daily basis and we want to
ensure we give them reasons to
keep coming back.
“I would love to see local
and national sports stars attracting
crowds in to our CBD. I
would love to see a varied calendar
of events and attractions
so people get into the habit of
expecting activities to be on in
the city.”
As Hamilton city grows, so
do the expectations of what a
city can provide. HCBA says it
CBD gets an ‘advantage’
Hamilton Central Business Association
(HCBA) has launched a new initiative
challenging the 22,000 people who
work in Hamilton’s CBD to “take advantage”.
Targeting the workers in the CBD, every
fortnight an email will be sent out to those
who have registered, detailing special meal
deals, retail discounts and a one-off freebie for
those who are fast enough.
Based on a worker programme being run
in Australia, HCBA saw the opportunity to do
something similar in Hamilton’s central city
is looking to meet these expectations
head on with a cohesive
programme of activity, to be
enjoyed by locals and visitors
alike.
and has launched the CBD ‘Advantage’ Club
for workers. Vanessa Williams, HCBA general
manager, sees the advantage for both people
who work in the CBD and businesses based
in the CBD.
“It is about creating awareness of what fantastic
businesses we have here in the city and
motivating people to go to them.”
To join Advantage Club, email admin@
hamiltoncentral.co.nz with your name, business
name and contact email and reap the
reward of working in the CBD.
When buying or selling a business in the Waikato
Talk to the people who get results.
Jono Kennedy
021 045 3871
Otago
Greg Dunn
027 293 0377
Tony Begbie
029 200 6515
Scott Laurence
027 473 5425
Graeme Finch
027 495 3413
Craig Paul
021 786 496
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