I am writing with concern and mainly confusion with the re-branding of what was originally the HBA – Howick Business Association, then the HVBA (Howick Village Business Association) and now recently rebranded as the HVA – Howick Village Association.
Russ Rice was the original founder, with Jack Gandy being co-founder of the Howick Business Association, formed in 1946. The association was founded for the sole purpose of promoting Howick retailers. Both were retailers and commercial property owners which makes sense when you run an organisation like that to be either a business owner or commercial property owner.
All members worked on a voluntary basis and all were involved in business in Howick.
As most people will be aware, the regional business associations are funded by BID – the Business Improvement District programme under Auckland Council.
The BID programme [objective] is to collaborate with Auckland’s business sector to improve the local business environment and boost the regional economy.
As a former Howick business owner in the village of 25-plus years, I was also a member and ran the Howick Business Association with my previous husband for many years.
Our interests were to help local business in Howick by ensuring that they were kept well-informed of any activities, advocating and implementing new initiatives for the business owners, networking with all business owners and working closely with the likes of Morrin Cooper and the former Howick Borough Council, as well as running events that would benefit the retailers.
The purpose was not a community group or event-focused, the pure focus and purpose was to ensure that we could bring every last dollar that people could spend to our retailers.
I am at a loss to understand why the HVA is entitled to any funding from the BID, when it has deliberately dropped the word business from its name.
It seems a very odd thing to do as GETBA – Greater East Tamaki Business Association – recently rebranded and clearly know their purpose, rebranding to Business East Tamaki.
Maybe HVA should rebrand to be HVMEA – Howick Village Markets & Events Association.
Pip Burns
Resident & past president of the Howick Business Association
