Catching up with Natalie By Natalie Bridges

It seems to me that the arrival of Hairy Maclary has heralded a new chapter, not just for his friends, but for Tauranga too.

As the glowing, shiny faces of young and old alike constantly seems to surround the incredibly lifelike collection of bronze statues on our precious waterfront, so too the energy level of our city has been taken up several notches.

The power of art, in the widest sense of the word to encompass performance and events, to bring people together and to create a sense of community and belonging is amazing.

The world-class Hairy Maclary statues are not only wonderful in themselves, but for the catalyst for change that they represent. It's the compounding positive effects of such progress and change that leads to more development and growth, so that we become the city we've been on the cusp of becoming for a long time.

Once the university campus is in full flight and the glossy Trustpower building is open and inhabited, the injection of people, investment and support that we need in Tauranga City centre, will have arrived. There will be further impetus for investment that will come as a result.

But we can't be complacent. The centre in the heart of our home. It needs to be strong, pumping and vibrant. A place that carries the blood through the veins of the rest of the city. This can only happen if we all get behind it, by visiting it and making it feel loved. That's how it will thrive and grow, how more shops will open and how it will become a more attractive place for visitors.

My heart warms every time I'm near Hairy and his friends - the people of Tauranga are keeping them in great company. It is the cheeky little dog's real home after all, and we're so lucky to have him here forever.

Natalie Bridges is director of Tauranga communications and design agency Blink Public Relations.