By STEVE GRAY
RENEW Warwick recently took its first tentative steps with a successful meeting attended by about 30 people.
Based on similar schemes in Adelaide, Townsville, Newcastle, Geelong and Parramatta, Renew Warwick aims to revitalise dormant shopping areas, act as a business incubator, create community space and a community garden.
Organisers John Colfs and Elizabeth Ure said the meeting was “very enthusiastic” about the four ideas proposed – pop-up shops, a business incubator, community garden and community space.
The pair are founders of the What’s On Southern Downs website and Fresh Fest markets.
Mr Colfs told the meeting that Fitzroy Street in the Warwick CBD has great character but was “dead”.
Renew Warwick could make it “funky Fitzroy” if landlords co-operate by allowing artists and artisans cheap short-term rents, he said.
“Warwick has no buzz on Sundays,” he said.
Mr Colfs and Ms Ure said the meeting involved “just a group of creative, intelligent and motivated people, all wanting to work towards a common goal for the betterment of the community and Warwick”.
“People put up their hands to be members of the new not-for-profit which will oversee all these projects,” the couple said.
“A sub-committee was formed to take the community garden forward.
“We had a builder offer his services to renovate shops and build shop-fittings, we had people say they’d offer their services for free to run worm farm classes, intro massage classes, art classes etc, people offered their grant writing skills et cetera.”
The pair said tourism was a big focus as well.
They said their main aims were to establish a creative tourism hub to showcase local talent and bring in tourism dollars.
They want to achieve this by creating spaces to encourage and support sustainability, healthy living and well-being.
