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There was a time (and it was not THAT long ago) when Tauranga was perceived by the rest of the country as a sleepy, peaceful, retirement village, where you went for a holiday, behaved very badly for an intense few days while getting severely sunburned, then left.

Surely, no one (under 40) could actually want to LIVE there?

It's changed.

This week's Write Space by Pete Dashwood.

In or out of the 'season' Tauranga has a lively buzz and shows all the signs of a thriving community. We are spoiled for restaurants and bistros, there is a wide choice of shops, entertainment, theatre and, of course, everywhere you go you are enfolded by scenic beauty that matches or exceeds anything on the planet.

This is no less true for the arts and literature. Tauranga has a crop of rising young writers, artists, and poets whose best work can be unashamedly presented on a global platform.

And it isn't just Tauranga. The ripples spread and interact with other ripples from Rotorua, Hamilton, and Whakatane. New Zealand is not short of artistic talent, and our region is especially well supplied. It extends through the arts and into industry, yet so often we hear people saying: "Well, if it's local, it can't be up to much..."

Having spent 30 years wandering around this planet and seeing much, I can report that what we have here is as good as anything anywhere. There is no reason for Kiwi artists and writers to feel intimidated.

I remember when I was a teenager, running for cover from a Tauranga downpour to a bus shelter with one of my best mates, Artie Laven. (Yes, he's Robbie's brother). We both surveyed the dismal, intense, tropical rain, stabbing down like pencil leads and hammering on the shelter roof. He looked at me and said: "Pete...we've gotta get out of this place..."

We did. I went adventuring around the world, and Artie eventually got to raising pumpkins on an island in the Gulf. (When I bumped in to him many years later and asked: 'Why pumpkins?” he replied with a grin: 'Cos they're easy to grow, eh…”)

There was little in Tauranga for young people. No jobs, no prospects.

Not any more. People can do their OE, pick up some great ideas, come back home, and go into business. The growth of the very efficient container port also provides a good employment base for many. Apart from those two options, the expansion of the infrastructure ensures job opportunities for young people. It is good to see that the growth is being balanced with provision of core community requirements so that we don't just get miles of houses without shops, community centres, and recreational and intellectual facilities as well.

Families are arriving here daily. And they are coming from all over. Tauranga today is a more colourful place than it was 50 years ago. Adjusting to that takes a little time but we are all richer for it in the long run. As the population expands, we encounter the normal stresses that accompany that. Local politics evince fierce posts to the SunLive web pages and letters to the editor. Issues are debated online as well as in homes, bars and restaurants. It all reflects an involved community. The general apathy that was once a signature for Tauranga is being replaced.

But there is still a place here for peace and tranquility.

In a world that is going crazy, with governments killing their own citizens in the streets, it is good to know you can go to a movie with very little chance of being blown to pieces by some malcontent. It's comforting to know you can have a drink and a discussion in a bar or restaurant without anyone pulling a gun and killing the customers.

Take a picnic to the quarry gardens or Memorial Park and know your kids won't be run over by tanks supporting the local despot.

God's waiting room? No, more like the living room...