George St’s final test of car-less character
The fifth and final test run of turning Palmerston North’s George St into a pedestrian mall for a day got the thumbsup from several retailers who opened yesterday.
Bookseller Bruce Mckenzie said the experience had been really good.
‘‘There are definitely more people coming in, and some different people than usual.’’
Across the road, Colleen and Belinda Blair at the George St Collective said they had enjoyed seeing people rather than cars in the street. ‘‘It was worth opening. It has increased the foot traffic – people hear the music and come to have a look.’’
Jacko Stephens at Cafe Jacko said he enjoyed the atmosphere and the music, although it had not increased his customer numbers. ‘‘It has taken nothing away, which is the main thing.’’
He said he hoped any further street parties would include some up-market and diverse stalls in the street to encourage people to come back and see something new next time.
The trial has been supported through Waka Kotahi/nz Transport Agency’s Innovating Streets for People pilot fund, which also helped pay for the Main St/ Pioneer Highway protected cycle lane project.
City council senior transport planner Viunka Nanayakkava said the next step for George St would be a formal evaluation of the trials, to see whether there was support from retailers and the public to make it a regular or permanent feature.
Senior urban designer Dave Charnley said the project would need support not just from George St, but from the businesses at each end, on Main St and Cuba St. ‘‘It requires business along the edge to be engaged.’’
Charnley said although the city council had led the trial, and helped with traffic management and provision of street furniture, the idea would be for the business community to take responsibility for its future.
It was possibly a challenge the city’s newlyformed BID (business improvement district) might consider taking on.
Charnely said the best urban improvement outcomes were achieved when the people in an area took charge of their own spaces, and the area outside their stores, to encourage more people to visit and contribute to economic improvement.
One of the trial’s advocates, Shaun Kay, said his impression so far was that the retailers loved the experiment.
He knew of only one complaint, and that was about access to mobility parking, which could be rectified by having disability parks set up in Coleman Place, which was also closed to through-traffic during the trials.