Hastings ALIVE!

Hastings city centre, from its very beginning, was designed and built as a support hub for the food producers that surround it: the farms, horticulture and viticulture upon which our economy and sustainability is based. Hastings city’s identity is reflected in it being only one of two places in the world where its railway line runs through its centre connecting the region’s primary produce hub to the region’s Port.

More than 120 years later Hastings Central Business District’s (CBD) is still a business hub for our food producers, and while it has always been where people shop, play and celebrate our identity, it has further evolved into a place where people come together to celebrate and enjoy their diversity, their culture and their art … and is a corner stone for a prosperous and inclusive future.

Like other CBDs around the world our city is constantly evolving and changing. Our council is working closely with our business community to respond to the economic and wellbeing challenges every city in the world faces today (e.g. online shopping, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and inner city living).

Adapting to constant change and focusing on creating a city people are proud of, for our people to enjoy — a place where they want to live, to work and to play — is a very important priority for our council. We want our city to be attractive, to be alive, to be prosperous and to be vibrant. We are working on and supporting new opportunities and initiatives every day to make that happen.

New opportunities come in many different forms from new businesses and organisations moving to Hastings — such as the new Eastern Police HQ, the Kiwibank contact centre and the recently opened Ministry of Social Development employment hub — to new hospitality precincts and pocket parks, all of which contribute to the vibrancy of our city.

We need different housing solutions. Inner-city apartment living will assist in the protection our fertile soils, our food producers and our future food production.

An attractive buzzing city centre for people to live in needs a committed resolve. Council is investing $5m in street upgrades, lighting installations, new laneways, facade enhancement of our beautiful heritage buildings and the new fabulous ‘Eastside Eat Street’.

A vibrant CBD will take vision and commitment from many, many dedicated people, people who believe in and invest in our city. We are seeing this with the exciting investment developments like ‘The Tribune’, the new Quest Hotel and Toi Toi HB Arts and Events Centre, all of which will contribute to our city’s transformation.

Hastings’ cultural heart showcases our identity. This year our CBD will host events like the Blossom Festival, the Arts Festival, the Fringe Festival, Edible Fashion Awards, exhibitions at the Art Gallery, performances in our world-class Opera House and Toi Toi Arts and Cultural Centre. We are upgrading our city green spaces and playgrounds, bringing alive our hospitality precinct and supporting our Business Association’s members to create a great retail experience.

We are working closely with the Hastings City Business Association assisting with exciting promotions and new initiatives. Our city centre recently celebrated our amazing wineries with the  Winter Wine Walk Series organised by HB Wineries, where 300 people enjoyed their favourite wines at the pop- up cellar doors in some of our best local eateries. In the school holidays so many families enjoyed the new Ice Skate Rink set up in the Hastings city mall, a wonderful attraction in our city centre for all ages.

Our city centre is alive with exciting new projects, developments and cultural and community events. Each generation has loved it, invested in it and passed the torch onto those who follow. Now it is our turn. We are Hastings ALIVE! See you there!