Mayor of Liverpool Wendy Waller today welcomed the tourism and events recovery package announced by the NSW Government saying the investment will help Liverpool recover a share of hundreds of millions of dollars wiped from its local economy due to COVID-19.
As part of its COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, the NSW Government is committing $50 million of the $530 million package for a CBDs Revitalisation program to support events and activations in CBDs across Greater Sydney and surrounds.
Mayor Waller said this component of the package is a major drawcard for Liverpool City Council and perfectly aligns with its long-standing vision of an activated Liverpool City Centre.
"At the heart of Council's vision for the Liverpool City Centre is the creation of a vibrant and sustained 18-hour economy where residents across Liverpool and Greater Sydney are emboldened to dine out, socialise or simply make greater use of currently under activated spaces.
"With the new Western Sydney International Airport and Aerotropolis on our doorstep and a young, growing, and cosmopolitan population expected to rise as much as 60 per cent by 2041, Liverpool is poised to become Sydney's third CBD. Having an activated City Centre is essential to achieving this milestone.
"Council is inspired by the outdoor precincts we see in surrounding Local Government Areas like Parramatta. Like Parramatta, the Liverpool City Centre has many laneways and arcades. However, the potential of these spaces for increased outdoor dining, night-time activation and pedestrian connectivity remains untapped.
"We believe now is the right time for Liverpool to come alive and assert itself as a true tourist destination in Greater Sydney with offerings reflective of its vibrant and diverse identity," Mayor Waller said.
The economic rationale behind bringing community events and activations back to the Liverpool CBD cannot be denied or understated after the region succumbed to some of the toughest COVID-19 restrictions this year.
"Investing in an activated City Centre will go a long way towards the post-pandemic economic recovery of Liverpool and given the size of our City's economy, the broader region.
"Each year, tourism contributes hundreds of millions to our local economy which has been practically wiped out due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," Mayor Waller said.
The direct and indirect contributions of the tourism contribution to Liverpool's Gross Regional Product decreased from 2019 to 2020 by around $362 million resulting in 2,465 job losses.
"We need support from the NSW Government to help Liverpool come alive again and events like these will bring local residents and Sydneysiders alike back to the heart of our city the CBD," Mayor Waller said.
