Initiatives making the most of Oamaru's heritage buildings are being put in place by the trust which, for the past 25 years, has owned most of those in the Victorian precinct of Harbour-Tyne Sts area.
The Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust has held two strategic meetings, as it moves into its second quarter-century, looking at ways of bringing alive, as well as preserving, the greater historic area of the town.
Trust board chairman Peter Garvan said trustees recognised the enormous potential the precinct had, not only for tourism but as part of a wider recreational use for locals, with the ongoing development of the neighbouring Steampunk playground and harbour areas.
''But it's also important that we introduce changes that preserve our unique collection of Victorian buildings for future generations,'' he said.
A report on the structural stability of all of the buildings owned by the trust had been commissioned and a plan would be implemented around it.
Signs would be erected north and south of Oamaru, working closely with Tourism Waitaki and the New Zealand Transport Authority, and advice would be obtained from a marketing specialist about branding for the precinct.
Among other ideas was a precinct tenants' business association to formulate ideas for events and promote business in the area.
The trust wanted to involve its members more, and attract new ones to get more Oamaru people involved.
A closer relationship with the Sunday Farmers Market, regular events or festivals and night time street and lighting displays were other strategies.
All of that would become very visible over the next few months.
''We're also going to take a very close look at the presentation of the buildings themselves. We want the precinct to be pristine.''
Part of the new strategy was to change the trust's vision statement to: ''Establishing Oamaru as a world heritage destination by bringing alive and preserving New Zealand's best collection of Victorian buildings''.
The statement further identified that ''Preserving Oamaru's Victorian Precinct and developing the buildings and streets into a destination locals embrace and visitors want to experience which drives economic growth and community pride''was of importance.
