Push to spruce-up South Windsor shop fronts gets Council support

Councillor Sarah Richards is pushing for Hawkesbury Council to engage with South Windsor shop owners in a bid to beautify the area and encourage more visitors.

At this week’s council meeting, Cllr Richards called for a council report to look at ways of improving the town’s shop fronts.

Mayor Patrick Conolly at the temporary parklet in South Windsor

“As a council we need to engage more with the shop owners,” said the councillor.

One of the issues is that the majority of shops in South Windsor are leased by tenants and not actually owned by them.

“It’s the tenants who need action and we need to encourage more people to shop there. I think it’s so important South Windsor gets this action.”

Mayor Patrick Conolly agreed but said that in a recent survey about potential improvements for South Windsor, only 12 people responded.

“And basically the feedback is they didn’t see it was an issue,” said the Mayor. “But I do think there is an opportunity to do better there. We can look at a number of options, and potentially we could make a big difference to South Windsor.”

Cllr Danielle Wheeler said council was determined to help out in South Windsor.

“We are trying really hard to do a good thing,” she said.

The council have made some efforts to very recently to being some colour to the main shopping strip with the temporary placing of what the council calls a parklet – a seating area with umbrella, surrounded by low shrubs – where people could sit with their coffee and watch the world go by. The parklet was in place for four weeks to gauge the public’s response.

But Cllr John Ross didn’t think the parklet – which took up several parking spaces on the main strip of George Street – was universally liked.

“The parklet left on Friday and many people were happy to see it go,” said Cllr Ross.

“I don’t think it was a great success. I don’t believe the paving of the shop front area is attractive or suitable either.”

Cllr Richards called for a report to outline options available for council to work with property owners to improve the facades and shop fronts.

Richards: As a council we need to engage more with the shop owners. It’s the tenants who need action and we need to encourage more people to shop there. I think it’s so important South Windsor gets this action.”

Councillors agreed, and now council staff will put a report together on potential options.