Armed with walking sticks, newspaper articles and a take-no-crap attitude, members of the Hamilton Residents and Ratepayers Association came to have their say about rate increases, sewerage, 1080 poisoning and climate change.

The Hamilton City Council is discussing plans to acquire and bowl a suite of buildings along Victoria St to extend the newly developed Victoria on the River urban park to Embassy Park beside the proposed theatre.

A revitalised CBD and creative arts community in Hamilton is likely with the building of a new performing arts theatre in the city, according to backers of the plan.