ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY
• Ensure that community, social and cultural
services and facilities are established or
retained within existing centres, rather than
on isolated sites and link local businesses to
local sport, education, cultural and recreation
organisations and encourage the businesses
to build relationships with and possibly sponsor
local activities.
• Recognise business needs and issues when
planning and undertaking infrastructure works
and ensure that businesses a say in (and
potentially some responsibility for) the provision,
maintenance and management of parking,
traffic management, waste management and
streetscapes within the centres.
• Contribute to the funding of business initiatives
in the centre by directing part of the revenue
raised in the centre back to the centre through
the business association.
• Provide or support business development
training for the businesses in the centres
and recognise and publicly acknowledge the
business leaders in the centres.
REFERENCES
1. Smart Cities Plan. Australian Government Department of Prime
Minster and Cabinet Commonwealth of Australia 2016.
2. The Economic Value of Main Street Centres. Essential Economics
May 2019.
The centre is embraced by the
local community as a place to go,
to gather and to celebrate and is
much more than a transactional
retail centre. It is a location
where children play, mothers
and fathers meet, professionals
network, and people simply sit.
About Mainstreet Australia: Mainstreet
Australia aims to provide a forum for information
exchange, networking, advocacy and professional
development for the people, business organisations
and consultants involved in the management and
marketing of Australia’s traditional main streets
and town centres. It provides a collective voice to
advocate to government on their behalf, to work to
address issues of concern, capitalise on innovations
and opportunities and promote what is special and
unique about main streets and town centres.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen Sully is an urban planner and economic development
practitioner. He has been involved with the revitalisation of
town centres across Australia over the past 30 years through
his work with Local and State Government and as a private
consultant. He has recently retired from full time employment
and is currently Secretary of Mainstreet Australia. .
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