Subject: Nowra Beautification

Riche du Plessis has been a resident of Nowra and the northern Shoalhaven for most of the past twenty-five years ... since the year 2000, he has operated a business in the Nowra CBD:
 
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During this time the atmosphere of Nowra has often confused me. Understanding that the town is the service centre of the district, it offers little more than that - a centre providing for the basic needs of the local population, a town centre stuck in the middle of the 1950's.
 
At peak periods, such as Easter, while the outlying villages of Berry, the Valley, Huskisson fill with tourists, most of Nowra (other than the supermarkets and a coffee shop or two) closes. It's as though the town does not want to adapt to the 21st century."

 
It is also obvious to any observer that a significent percentage of the local population seem intent on destroying any work intended to beautify the town, or which makes the CBD more user friendly. The continuing difficulties with the pedestrianised Junction Mall, the tree'd area alongside Woolworths Car Park, the public toilets, unwanted graffiti, provide continued evidence of this destructive attitude. It is obvious that this element of our society has little or no 'pride of place' regarding Nowra.
 
At a recent meeting of the Shoalhaven Business Chamber it was suggested that the Nowra CBD needs revitalization in order to encourage residents and visitors into the town centre at peak periods. Two outcomes from that meeting were :

(i) a resolve to beautify the CBD, (ii) to form a committee to work with the SCC Strategic Planning Office. Both are excellent suggestions.
 
However, should an invisible 'Strategic Planning Committee' decide on the methods, materials and design of any beautification behind closed doors, a large segment of our society will still not value such work. Without participation in the decision from the greater community, any 'pride of place' is unlikely to develop. { NEXT }