IN AN effort to give business a boost, new Hurstville Chamber of Commerce president Allan Zreik will be working towards a better and more transparent relationship with Hurstville Council.
Mr Zreik, director of Zed N Zed Jewellers in Westfield Hurstville, said that with a bit more co-operation between the council and business, the CBD end of Forest Road could be cleaned up to attract more shoppers.
And the chamber would encourage the council to provide incentives for big companies to move into the area.
"We will be forming a strategy in the coming month to attract big business as well as government departments in Hurstville," he said.
"A lot of federal and state government money has been allocated for regions such as Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith and we want to see the same enthusiasm from government for Hurstville city.
"We will also ensure we shorten the bridge between the greater Hurstville business community and council, through open and transparent dialogue."
Mr Zreik said improved parking was also on the agenda.
"The chamber's executive committee is dedicated to continuing to ensure increased parking, with meetings with council on a multi-storey car park somewhere in the CBD," he said.
"The executive will also be asking Hurstville Council about the CBD master plan: we want to know what's happened to it and why it hasn't been implemented."
Mr Zreik has been a member of Hurstville Chamber of Commerce since 2012 and has been in business for more than 30 years — 26 in the jewellery shop which designs and manufactures fine jewellery including NRL grand final rings.
He succeeds Lou Konjarski as president; Carlos Zeidan was elected vice-president.
"We want to make it more comfortable for business so people don't say they don't want to be in Hurstville — with a good Forest Road, a much-improved Westfield and a greater variety of restaurants, shoppers will want to come back."
Hurstville Council recently announced its intention to revitalise the streetscape along Forest Road in the Hurstville CBD, a section between the Hurstville transport interchange and the Palm Court car park.
The $2 million project will include new paving, street lighting, garbage bins that encourage public place recycling, landscaping and street furniture.
But the CBD master plan is not yet for "public consumption".
Hurstville Chamber of Commerce will hold business workshops and networking events during the year.
Details: secretary Tony Baddour, tony@elitefinance.net.au
What sort of events do you think would boost businesses in the area?
