LET there be light, and in Peel St there was, or at least there will be – and very soon.
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Tamworth Regional Council resolved at Tuesday’s meeting to install new decorative lighting in the main street – to not only give the CBD some festive sparkle, but to also brighten it up at other times of the year.
Yesterday, it was announced the installation of those lights would begin this weekend, well and truly before the Christmas deadline that councillors had hopefully put forward.
It’s a welcome move by the council, even though some sectors of the community are bound to question the price tag and argue better things could be done with the money.
But, at some point a local council has to be about more than just roads, sewerage and waste collection.
It also needs to invest in measures that make a town or city a pleasant place to live in, instilling a sense of pride in residents, and encouraging visitors to come and stay.
Peel St is one of the jewels in Tamworth’s crown.
It draws plenty of compliments from tourists and is a pleasant precinct for locals to do business and socialise.
As one of the busiest places during January’s country music festival, it must always look its best.
But not only during the day – it’s evening appearance is also important, particularly during the warmer months, when so many people are out and about in local cafes, restaurants and hotels.
Several councillors at Tuesday’s meeting described it as “dull” once the sun goes down, with some
much-needed sparkle sorely needed.
They also questioned the lack of light in the City of Light and said Tamworth was perhaps missing a golden marketing opportunity.
The addition of these new lights is a good start, but there could be other “illuminating” opportunities in the future, too, to bring the City of Light to life.
As a final word, council cops a lot of flak sometimes for not acting fast enough, but in this case it must be congratulated for beginning the trimming of the Peel St trees within only a few days of a decision being made.
A little Santa magic at work perhaps.