Ōpōtiki District Council's commercial buildings in the CBD are set for improvements with better street frontages, new paint and some internal improvements to complement the new Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi building that will be completed next year.

Ōpōtiki Councillor, Steve Nelson, said that the recent purchase of the Hospice shop on Church Street meant that Council now owned most of the properties along that section and that it was a great opportunity to make improvements for tenants and for the look and feel of that part of town.

"As part of our town centre revitalisation programme​, we will need all landowners and tenants to really embrace the community vision to improve the CBD. Some of the changes needed around town will be small, like new paintwork and attractive signage. And some of the changes will need to be much bigger around earthquake and structural improvements.

"As landowners from the corner of King Street all the way down to Lots 9 and 10 [just past the old Tagz shop] we are in a position to really get the wheels rolling on this change and build momentum on the improvements," Mr Nelson said.

Mr Nelson said that there were no plans to move existing tenants. He said the improvements would make the buildings more attractive for new tenants to fill the currently vacant spaces and nicer for current shop-owners as well.

"I expect that the changes will be things like improvements to frontages and doorways – make them more accessible and attractive for people who work and shop there.

"We have a unique town with historical buildings and a living history which is reflected in our built environment. I look forward to walking down the street this time next year and the CBD will look really different," Mr Nelson said.

Source: Opotiki District Council