Create the Vibe in the Thames town centre is to close after a survey of residents showed a lack of support for the concept. Photo / Thames-Coromandel District Council
A plan to liven up the Thames town centre has come to an end after just two years with the CEO of the Thames Business Association describing it as “an open wound that is dividing our town”.
The Create the Vibe community space on Mary Street would be removed following a unanimous decision by the Thames Community Board on August 2.
The Vibe was officially opened in March 2021 and a community space installed to create vitality as part of a “tactical urbanism” trial project funded mainly by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, at a cost of $356,000.
It was declared the Best Street in New Zealand at the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards in February 2022 but an online and street survey of 1500 people in June showed residents were far less enthusiastic about the space.
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The Thames-Coromandel District Council confirmed work would begin soon to remove the Vibe space and reopen Mary Street to through traffic.
The council described the project as “a shared civic hub space for people to gather on Mary Street at the corner with Pollen Street – right in the middle of things where most people already are and where a good town square should be”.
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It had three goals; to create a civic heart with…
