Incentives for shoppers

By Melissa Meehan
PAKENHAM residents will be treated to a number of incentives to continue shopping in Pakenham’s CBD during works on the new Woolworth’s development.
Cardinia Shire Council business development officer Phil Jackson said the shire had decided to react decisively to support existing businesses during the construction period.
At the Pakenham Business Group dinner, held last week, Mr Jackson put forward five initiatives that council was working on with the help of the group.
This included finding additional parking spaces to make up for ones that would be lost during the development, printing maps for local shoppers, a ‘Shop in Pakenham’ promotion, visual merchandising training and an email update system that would keep all local traders in the loop.
While he said the incentives to shop in Pakenham were on hold until construction started, it was important to note the council was finding new car parking options as well as re-educating locals of alternative places to park.
“So far we have been able to provide about the same number of parks without any being lost,” he said. “But we are still planning on providing more.”