Concern about the future of the Merimbula CBD has reached a crisis point with landlords, the deputy mayor Mitchell Nadin and current Chamber of Commerce president Lynn McColl all calling for action and asking the community to be involved.
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The chamber is holding its AGM on Thursday, August 29 at 5.30pm at the Merimbula RSL. Following the election of a new committee, the floor will be open for community comments and discussion about the plight of Merimbula's CBD.
Merimbula landlord Bruce Marshall who mostly recently purchased the old Woolworths building is urging the community to attend.
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"We need to find a way forward to bring Merimbula out of this hole. Out of adversity comes new ideas. We need the community to get together and develop a vision for Merimbula," Mr Marshall said.
Landlord Michael Britten said he was concerned because Merimbula had lost its identity.
"This meeting is a call to arms . Everyone who makes money out of the town needs to make sure the town is prosperous," Mr Britten said.
Deputy mayor Mitchell Nadin will speak at the meeting. He has a notice of motion to be discussed at the council meeting on Wednesday, August 28 regarding Merimbula CBD.
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He has proposed that council staff look at costs relating to engaging an urban planner to look at ideas around making the centre of town more pedestrianised.
The idea was first mooted several years ago to make Market Street more pedestrian friendly allowing coffee shops to extend out onto extended pathways and slowing traffic through the road. The bypass was the start of the process to provide an alternative route and one to direct traffic to the parking areas off Park Street.
Early in her term as chamber president Lynn McColl gave a deputation to council about the masterplan for the CBD saying it needed to be funded.
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She said that real change was needed but that "there is no magic wand to fix things".
"We have to be proud of our town, we're lucky to survive this far from the city. These issues that this town faces, towns across the globe face; there is no magic bullet. The chamber is about helping the town thrive and delivering the positive change that's been asked for," Ms McColl said.
A measure of the seriousness of the situation has to be the 16 nominations that were received before the cut off date for places on the chamber's executive.
Already a number of community members and business people have indicated they will be attending the meeting including representatives from local clubs, real estate agents, landlords and community members.
