Tawa Business Group Celebrates 10 Years
September marked a very special milestone for the Tawa Business Group: 10 years of supporting, connecting and championing the Tawa business community.
Established in September 2016, the Tawa Business Group was created to provide projects and services that promote and strengthen businesses within our local community. Ten years on, that original purpose remains at the heart of everything we do.
Today, the Tawa Business Improvement District (BID) stretches from Tawa Junction through to Takapū Rise Business Park, representing 122 properties and nearly 200 businesses. From retail and hospitality to professional services, trades and everything in between, our business community is diverse, hardworking and full of people who care about making Tawa a great place to work, shop, eat, visit and do business.
Working for Tawa's Business Community
Behind the BID is Bernadette, our BID Manager, who works on behalf of the local business community. She is supported by an Executive Team that provides strategic direction, innovative ideas, advice and guidance, helping ensure the BID continues to respond to the needs and opportunities of our ever-changing business community.
Over the past decade, there has been a lot happening. From advocacy and practical projects to events, promotions and partnerships, the Tawa Business Group has been involved in a wide range of initiatives designed to support local businesses and strengthen our town centre.
Some of the highlights include:
Town centre flags: Establishing and maintaining flags throughout the town centre, including Christmas, ANZAC and Matariki displays, helping Tawa recognise important occasions and celebrate our community throughout the year.
Main Road banners: Establishing and maintaining banners along Main Road from the Takapū roundabout through to Gee Street, helping create a stronger and more consistent identity for the town centre.
Hanging baskets: Contributing to the beautiful hanging baskets that brighten Tawa's streets. This has been a fantastic example of local organisations working together, with the Tawa Residents’ Association organising the baskets and Tawa Rotary assisting with the changeover.
CCTV coverage: Supporting the establishment of CCTV coverage throughout the town centre to help create a safer environment for businesses, workers and visitors.
Parking advocacy: Working with Wellington City Council on parking issues, including opposing the introduction of paid parking in suburban areas and undertaking a parking review to better understand the needs of Tawa.
Local employment: Supporting local employment by updating the local job board and helping connect local people with employment opportunities within the community.
Local murals: Supporting community art, including contributing towards the murals along the alleyway near Gorgeous Goose Cakes, adding colour, character and creativity to the town centre.
Parking information: Creating a parking map to help businesses, staff and visitors better understand the parking options available around the town centre.
Business breakfasts: Bringing local businesses together with politicians and key public figures. Over the years, we have welcomed guests including Mayor Andrew Little, Nicola Willis MP, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Greg O’Connor MP and Nick Leggett, among many others. These events have provided opportunities to hear directly from decision-makers, ask questions and discuss issues affecting our community.
Christmas window displays: Running four years of Christmas window display competitions, giving local businesses the opportunity to get creative, spread some festive cheer and add extra colour to Tawa.
Discount vouchers: Providing opportunities for local businesses to promote themselves while encouraging people to shop, eat and spend locally.
Pride in Work Awards: Working in partnership with Tawa Rotary to recognise the people who make a difference in our local workplaces and celebrate the contribution of employees within our community.
P120 parking: Introducing P120 parking along Main Road to help create greater parking turnover and support accessibility for customers and visitors to local businesses.
Working with other BIDs: Sharing ideas, knowledge and experience with the other five business communities across Wellington, helping us learn from what is happening in other areas and bring new ideas back to Tawa.
Try Tawa surveys: Gathering valuable insight into where people shop, eat and do business, helping us better understand what our community wants and needs from its local business district.
Taste of Tawa International Food Festival: Launching the First Taste of Tawa International Food Festival to celebrate the incredible diversity of food, culture and businesses in our community and showcase the wonderful flavours available right here in Tawa.
And that is just a snapshot of the work undertaken over the past decade.
A Community Effort
None of this happens in isolation. A successful business community depends on businesses, residents, community groups, volunteers, organisations and local government working together.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed ideas, time, energy, expertise and support over the past 10 years. Every contribution, whether large or small, has helped shape the Tawa we know today.
Most importantly, the Tawa Business Group exists because of the businesses we represent. With nearly 200 businesses within our BID area, each one contributes to the character, vibrancy and strength of our community.
Tawa Business Group Celebrating 10 Years
To mark our 10th anniversary, we kept the celebrations low-key but meaningful, bringing together many of the people who have been part of the Tawa Business Group journey from the very beginning.
We were honoured to have Mayor Andrew Little present us with a certificate of recognition, acknowledging the contribution of the BID to our local business community.
Our initial chair, Ant Simon, beautifully likened the BID to watching a child grow up, reflecting on how far we have come since those early days and how much the organisation has developed over the past decade.
It was a special opportunity to reconnect and celebrate with many of the original set-up committee, our current members and key stakeholders who have helped shape the Tawa Business Group into what it is today.
Looking Ahead
As the Tawa Business Group celebrates 10 years, we are not only looking back at what has been achieved; we are looking forward to what comes next.
There will always be new challenges, new opportunities and new ways we can work together to make Tawa an even better place to do business.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Tawa Business Group journey over the past 10 years. We look forward to continuing that journey together and seeing what the next decade brings.
Here’s to 10 years of Tawa Business Group - and to the next 10.
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