The public event aims to continue community discussion about the future character and development of Comur Street. This includes identification of projects that would bring positive changes to attract investments and involvement from the community and businesses.

Harvey Walsh, member of the business chamber, said the event aimed to achieve two things.

“One is to keep residents interested in improving main street and to abreast of what the chamber is doing. The second is we’re trying to engage more people in the topic,” Mr Walsh said.

“We had 20 people attend the previous workshop, so we’d like to have at least that many or more this time.”

The workshop will also include a group of landscape architecture students from the University of Canberra who will present their work about main street. Specifically, their design principles for the public realm and selected detail design that demonstrates how these could be applied.

The students have selected a range of sites – including part of the main street, the tram line and Riverbank Park.

The initiative is based on a ‘Yass Main Street Strategy’ that was started by Yass Valley Council in 2014. Council held a program of community consultation to identify and create a set of actions and recommendations to improve Comur Street.

With the help of consultants, led by architect Sheila Hughes, the information gathered by council through community consultation was examined in detail and analysed to identify community priorities.

Of those priorities, the business chamber is working on improving access to the Memorial Hall, making Comur Street better for pedestrians and improving internet connectivity.

For more about the workshop:

Michael Pilbrow, President Yass Valley Chamber of Commerce:

Gay Williamson, lecturer at University of Canberra:

Harvey Walsh, Business Chamber member: