Lismore Council plan CBD makeover

MELBOURNE'S iconic laneways were revitalised by the same town planning company working to revive Lismore's city spaces, Village Well.

Launching the Retailer Survey that will help inform the new CBD Retail Strategy are (l-r) Peppertree Kitchen owner Helen Nott, Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair Deborah Benhayon, Lismore City Council Partnering and Community Engagement Officer Flora Zigterman and Lismore City Centre Manager Jason Mumford.

MELBOURNE'S iconic laneways were revitalised by the same town planning company working to revive Lismore's city spaces, Village Well.

Lismore City Council has recruited Village Well to plan revitalisation of the Lismore central business district, the riverbank and the new Lismore Quadrangle housing the library,Northern Rivers Conservatorium and regional gallery.

Village Well has begun community consultation on behalf of Council and last week launched a five minute online survey for local businesses, to be conducted by the Lismore Business Panel and Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry until November 11.

LCCI Chair Deborah Benhayon said the survey was "a great opportunity for retailers to have a real say in how the CBD will look five and 10 years down the track”.

"We need input from the broader retail and business community such as those in South Lismore and East Lismore, retailers at Lismore Shopping Square and further surrounding areas," she said.

Other strategies for community consultation included Kitchen Table Conversations, a Place Vision Charrette for Lismore Quadrangle stakeholders and Listening Posts to capture the thoughts of local residents.

Listening Posts

Village Well consultants would talk directly to people on the street in the Lismore CBD and in South Lismore from mid-November.

Consultants would ask how people would like to see the new quadrangle or 'town square' off Keen Street used into the future among other questions.

Residents could find dates and locations for the Listening Posts in Council's next community newsletter, due for release early November.

Place Vision Charrette

On November 21st around 40 - 50 people representing stakeholders in the planned Lismore Quadrangle would meet in the Gordon Pavilion at Oaks Oval, allowing Council to engage with a broader community, said Lismore City Centre Manager Jason Mumford.

Kitchen Table Conversations

"Sometimes smaller groups can unearth issues that get missed in large forums” said Mr Mumford, who said Village Well would organise several "frank conversations for up to eight selected retailers [at a time] sitting around a table to discuss positives, negatives and a wish list” for the city of Lismore.

The feedback received from the various consultation methods would be used to create three strategies:

1. The CBD Retail Strategy

Aimed at boosting growth in Lismore city centre, this would include recommendations on the type of shops on offer, physical improvements, programming and events for the CBD, marketing and new projects.

2. The Quadrangle Creative Placemaking Strategy

Recommendations on the management of public events and programming in the new public town square and Lismore Regional Gallery site.

3. A Bridge to Bridge Masterplan and Plan of Management to restore the riverbank between the two CBD bridges

These plans would include opportunities for creating new attractions such as artists' hubs, markets and more walking trails.

There would be one plan for the CBD side of the bridges and one plan for South Lismore.

Ms Benhayon said with the opening of the new Lismore Regional Gallery and quadrangle in 2017 there was a great opportunity to strategically plan how best to use the new 'town square', the CBD and riverbank spaces into the future.