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In good heart?  The fortunes of the City Centre are
slowly starting to turn around. Nobody, myself included, ever said it was going to be easy
reviving the heart of Christchurch but the momentum for positive change is starting to
build.
Shifting the direction of the City Centre is a bit like trying to do a U-turn in an ocean liner but it can be done. Just not at the speed some of us would like. The difference is that the crew aboard for this voyage involves not only Christchurch City Council but the private and community sectors as well. It kept some of us incredibly busy last year. However, we are already starting to see our efforts at renewal get the thumbs up from the commercial property sector. Both sales and occupancy rates at the top end of the market are showing an improvement after years of sluggish performance. Retailers are getting involved in the most convincing way possible - by pouring their investment dollars into developments aimed at building a thriving future for the City Centre. One of the best ideas to come out of last year’s work was that of developing a produce market. There have been a number of possible sites floated for this market, and work and research are still going on to determine which site will prove ideal longterm. While the final home is yet to be decided, we are launching a trial market at the Arts Centre this month. The 15-stall market, A Taste of Canterbury Fare, will focus on top-of-the-line Canterbury produce. There will be high quality food, wine, organic produce, cheeses, fresh flowers, vegetables, breads, preserves and delicatessen foods. Siting the trial market at the Arts Centre will give us a chance to tap into two potential markets, the local consumer and the tourist market. It will be a local showcase and tourist attraction in one - possibly the start of something like Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. And customers will be able to order market goods from anywhere in the world using the Canterbury Fare website. The trial will give us a chance to gauge the extent of public support in Christchurch for a city centre produce market. We believe it should prove popular but from now on, the public has the opportunity to provide evidence the idea is a starter.
From your mayor |
See you
there soon!