International placemakers speak in Turangi

This Thursday 4 November Turangi will be lucky enough to host some of the worlds best ‘placemakers’, who will talk to local businesses and offer their ideas on the Turangi Town Centre. 

Taupō District Council has managed to secure Gilbert Rochecouste, Managing Director of ‘Village Well’ from Australia to speak to Turangi businesses, whilst in the Taupo district on another business venture.  The talk will be held next Thursday (4 November) at 6pm at the Turangi Senior Citizens Centre and those with an interest in the future of the Turangi Town Centre are advised to attend.

Mr Rochecouste, who has worked with Taupō District Council in the past, has an infectious, colourful and dynamic approach to communities and placemaking and has influenced some of the most complex urban and rural regeneration and city making projects from Marysville to Dubai.  He is recognised internationally for his expertise in facilitating collaborative partnerships across sectors to create beautiful, nourishing and vibrant communities.   

Mr Rochecouste will join Neil McInroy, (CEO of Centre for Local Economic Strategies in the UK) and Ethan Kent (Vice President of PPS (Project for Public Spaces in the USA) to speak with Turangi businesses and attendees will get also get the opportunity to ask the special guests questions. 

Group Manager - Environmental Services, Gareth Green, describes the evening as a significant opportunity for Turangi business operators to learn from some of the best in the world.  “Gilbert, Neil and Ethan will be hosting a placemaking ‘master class’ in Taupō on Friday and we managed to convince them to come to Turangi the night before and spend some time with business owners there.”

“This is the kind of session that would normally cost hundreds of dollars for each person to attend, but instead we are able to provide it to Turangi businesses free of charge,” said Mr Green.   

“Given a lot of the feedback received through the Turangi and Southern Lakeshore Structure Plan has been around the economic future of the Turangi town centre, this will be a timely event.”