About Heart of Gisborne

 “The city centre is the vibrant commercial and social hub of our community.”

Heart of Gisborne is an incorporated society managed by a voluntary executive board. It was established in 2003 and exists to increase the vibrancy and vitality of our city centre. Heart of Gisborne employs a city manager – Ken Huberts, and support manager Jade Baty.

The organisation operates under four key portfolios and is funded mainly by a levy on city centre property owners within a defined geographic area. The total levy collected by Gisborne District Council on our behalf is $185,000 p.a.

The levy is calculated on capital value at 0.001034 in the dollar. For example:

- Capital value $100k = levy $103.40

- Capital value $500k = levy $517

- Capital value $1million = levy $1034

- Capital value $10million = levy $10,340

Heart of Gisborne’s four key portfolios and their current strategic focuses are:

 1.       Organisation & Finance  

MISSION: Heart of Gisborne is seen as strong, influential and indispensable

• Increase income – alternative to rating (E.g. across street banners, city cleaning contracts)
• Upgrade database
• Introduce communication strategies to improve engagement with members
• Improve governance

2.       Heritage, Property & Design (including Transport & Environment)

MISSION: To advocate for and lead the process to create a vibrant, healthy CBD that is relevant to Gisborne’s urban landscape

• Support Andy Cranston’s initiative for rates relief for building owners who make improvements
• Undertake commercial property frontage, verandah & lighting upgrades

3.       Marketing & Promotions

MISSION: Heart of Gisborne promotes a sense of pride in the city centre

• Weekly email communication with business owners and other stakeholders including GDC, Tairawhiti Museum, Creative Tairawhiti, Tourism Eastland, EDU, Convention Bureau, Chamber of Commerce etc  
• Support central city businesses and generate opportunities for them to maximise their offering
• Showcase Heart of Gisborne’s achievements and celebrate success with the community of Gisborne
• Raise profile with weekly newspaper column and weekly radio spots
• Regular hard-copy newsletter (2 x yearly)
• Blog-style website, social networking tools
• Co-ordination and sponsorship of ‘block by block’ networking and events
• Development of self-funding retail promotion (e.g. ‘shop & win’)

 4.       Business Improvement

MISSION: Heart of Gisborne assists in improving the local economy 

• Partnering with Gisborne District Council and Economic Development agencies  
• Increase associate memberships
• Communication, collaboration, submissions on GDC plans
• Improve IT use by central city businesses
• Encourage businesses to ‘pay Gisborne first’
• Communicate Resilient strategies to members

Heart of Gisborne is a member of Towns & Cities of New Zealand (TCNZ)