2012 visions

This week The Guardian went to some of the region's most prominent locals to get an insight into their visions for 2012. Here's what they had to say...

Taken from Swan Hill Guardian 6th January 2012

Peter Beardsley
Proprietor Beardsley's Swan Hill Newsagency, Tatts, OfficeSmart and Cartridge World

How long have you lived in the region for:
Nine years

What do you consider to be the best thing about living in the region:
Excellent weather, great services, Five minute travel time to work and the good people of the region.

What do you think the region's best asset is:
Primary production across many facets and The Murray River.

What do you consider to be the biggest issue of importance within the region:
Ensuring the viability of existing local retail business's are not haemorrhaged by councils apparent determination to create a geographically removed B1 Zone that will in effect split the retail community.

What do you think the biggest challenge facing the region will be in 2012:
Building on and supporting primary production and securing an enhanced retail environment within the acknowledged and existing retail boundaries.

What improvements or changes would you like to see take place this year:
We need real-I mean real progress on the Riverfront Precinct grander plan.

For the nine years I have been here I have seen little or no forward progress lots of meetings, lots of plans, and lots of papers but no action and no real outcomes.

If you had a wish list, what would be the top three projects or issues you would like to be addressed this year:
That council stick by their original undertaking in the 2005 Business Review and continue to commit to a compact and consolidated CBD precinct.

This does not exclude more big business coming to town, on the contrary but we need to keep the precinct compact. The population of the region is far too small to create a divided zone. I would also like to see council, local and federal governments all get off their little bottoms and actually do something about developing the River precinct and that we don't build a draw bridge-a concept invented over 100 years ago, and we move into the future and build a high, long span real bridge.

Personally, what is your New Year's resolution:
Eat a little less and exercise a little more.