Walk down the main streets of most of our cities and towns and you'll no doubt notice the empty shops and spaces.
As we frequently hear in the news, it can mean once thriving CBD's are now a magnet for crime.
However in Waitaki, the local council has launched an initiative to turn things around.
Revitalise Our Places Ōamaru programme aims to turn vacant into vibrant.
Placemaking Lead for the project, Cyndi Christensen, speaks to Mark.