The suggestion by Cr Steve Walker that a full pedestrianisation of the central city street was "inevitable" came as work to make the street one-way concluded earlier this month.
At the opening of the completed street, Cr Walker said he had heard from various businesses a fully pedestrianised George St had become more desired as the work progressed.
He predicted that within five years there would be a public push to fully pedestrianise the area, "thus fulfilling my lifetime dream for this area".
George St jeweller and city councillor Brent Weatherall said last week those comments were a "kick in the guts" for retailers, and suggested the notion the full pedestrianisation of the street was Cr Walker’s lifetime dream was wrong "considering [his] accent".
"I was born here, live here and worked in Dunedin continuously with all my working life on George St," Cr Weatherall said.
"You are entitled to express your biased views as I am entitled to express my biased lifetime views and visions for Dunedin."
Cr Walker said Cr Weatherall’s "resistance to change and lack of imagination" were nothing new.
The reopening of George St had been met with an "overwhelmingly positive" public response, which was evidence of the progressive thinking of a vast majority of Dunedin residents, he said.
"[Cr Weatherall’s] personal and borderline racist comments suggesting that someone must be born here to have a stake in our city are extremely disappointing for an elected member of council."
"I’m confident that all fair-minded members of our community would not support xenophobia around the council table.
"What next, critiquing the ground-breaking collaboration with mana whenua to produce a stunning streetscape design?"
Cr Walker said he was born in Singapore, schooled in Hong Kong and mostly raised in Scotland, before marrying an American whom he met in Pakistan. He had lived in or travelled to more than 100 countries .
His "lifetime dream" for a pedestrianised George St stemmed from his experiences in progressive cities and towns from around the world.
The best examples he had seen of pedestrianisation, which could come in many forms, only allowed vehicle access for deliveries and for disabled and elderly communities.
Cr Walker said he would not apologise for thinking big and wanting Dunedin to fulfil its goal of becoming "one of the world’s greatest small cities", but would be guided by the views of the community as to where Dunedin eventually landed.
As with other parts of the world that had installed people-focused infrastructure, it was the residents and businesses who had taken the lead pressing those in power to go further.
"I see no reason why that won’t happen here."
— Cr Walker’s response was inadvertently not included in the report of Cr Weatherall’s comments, which appeared in print on Saturday, May 11. We apologise for that omission.
