TAMWORTH councillors are saying the country music festival has further highlighted the need for more shade in the CBD.
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Comments have been flooding in following the 47th festival, which wrapped up this weekend, about the heat and its apparent impact on Peel Street during the 10-day party.
Councillors on the city centre working group were largely happy with the slightly adjusted layout of vendors in this year’s festival, as it created more walking space and channeled people down to Bicentennial Park.
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But they were at a loss for ways to address the heat and its ongoing impact on festival.
Mark Rodda said it was “quieter at times” and believed people had largely sought relief in the venues.
But there were prevailing issues to be addressed.
“Western NSW towns don’t do shade well and it’s something we should be mindful of in everything council does, especially in a really harsh climate,” Cr Rodda.
Juanita Wilson said with so many varying stakeholders it could be very difficult to pin down an option which would suit everyone.
But she also said one priority was particularly prevalent in the wash-up.
“Shade strategies and provisions for the Fitzroy Street boulevard is correctly the subject of a priority consultancy process and will be dealt with soon,” she said.
Charles Impey said it was hard to tell whether numbers were down this year.
“The hot-spots were perhaps a little bit quieter, that’s taking an educated guess, we don’t have the hard evidence,” he said.
Be he agreed shade was an “absolute must” on Fitzroy Street.
“It’s got to have some personality,” he said.
“It a bit looks desolate.
“There’s nowhere to meet, no meeting point, it’s just an open space with pavers.”
Deputy mayor Phil Betts said the hot weather had pushed more people into the venues, but he believed the Friday and Saturday nights in the city were exceptionally busy.
He said shade on Fitzroy Street was “always part of the plan”.