Vol. No. Vol. 2518No. 4127
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Wednesday, January 13, 2023 2016 Wednesday, April 26,
BRIGHT: Wimmera Filipino-Australia Club members donned colourful costumes as they performed for thousands of attendees at the Wimmera Steampunk Festival in Dimboola on Saturday. The festival, in its second year, included dance, music and creative costumes. Story and more pictures, pages 12-13. Picture: KAREN REES
Main streets matter A
BY ABBY WALTER
Wimmera business leader says acknowledging central business districts and ways to sustain locally-owned businesses has never been more important.
West Vic Business ambassador Stacey Taig said the retail landscape was changing and it was crucial for communities to adapt and find ways to ensure main streets remained active and busy. It comes as Horsham is named a finalist in the Mainstreet Australia
awards for best regional main street or town centre. “With statistics and trends moving towards online shopping, it is incredibly important that we sustain business districts for the good of the business community and wider community,” Ms Taig said. “We’re inundated every day with shop local messages and as with any marketing, people start to put the blinkers on to it and we tend to make shopping fit within habits that fit within our busy lifestyles. “So, online shopping is something
that we can’t ignore, because it’s happening. “Acknowledging our main streets is incredibly important and a reminder for everybody of the role they play within any community.” Ms Taig said there was always room to improve an already positive experience in Horsham’s central business district, CBD. “We need to be open to change and look at new means of attracting foot traffic, whether that be from external sources such as tourism precincts to drive foot traffic,” she said.
“Making our CBD attractive to all generations is what will secure its future. “We need to look at green spaces, gathering spaces and new ways that people want to commune together. “Around the world people are recognising that attracting all demographics is a safeguard for CBDs in a changing world and pace of business.” Ms Taig said when communities came together, great things happened. “We need to trust and understand that key stakeholders are all working
for Mum
together – I think better than ever before, which makes it an exciting time across all shires,” she said. “There’s an acknowledgement, moving forward, that we need to make positive changes to ensure a positive future for our business community and our greater community. “If we want to make Horsham somewhere that our young people want to stay and live in and attract young people and young families, we have to think about how we do it.” Continued page 3
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