Book Your Travel Now! Blue Waters

[kylaar 0]

Welcome to the new region (and CJ!) of Blue Waters!
Blue Waters is a small bay north of Sydney, Australia and is centered around the town of Hartleford, with Maryborough to the north and Point Solitude to the south. The town of Hartleford is a relatively small one, with a population of just 3 000, but which has increased from 1 000 in just three years. Further analysis show that this figure is expected to reach 5 000 in the next few years.

Hartleford is situated around a small inlet full of beaches, many which are now developed into tourist areas.
This has also meant the introduction of boutique shops, restaurants and the newly completed Hyatt Resort & Casino, not to mention various other establishments of Wanda's HarbourSide Hotel and the Last Chance Motel.

While tourism is a major contributer to the economic situation of Hartleford, there is also a reliance on agriculture and heavy industry.
CSX Industries has recently opened up their large cement plant on the outskirts of Maryborough, attracting workers from around the region. All these factors have lead to the emergence of a wealthy middle-class, and thus a major transformation of Hartleford.

Greetings! From Blue Waters (teasers)

 

 

 

 

That's All Folks! For now anyway. I shall have more soon. I also posted this at SimCity Central, and I hope that's alright with the moderators here.

 

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[jasperdeman.nl 1]

Wow great start! I love the presentation and the graphics.

As far as I can tell the town looks good to! This promises to be something worth keeping an eye open for!

 

Keep it up!

[Equilibria 16]

This region looks very attractive and relaxing. I'm looking forward to the real thing.

[Micah 16]

I love the teasers. Looks really good. Can't wait for more.

[kylaar 0]

 

jasperdeman.nl thanks, I hope it is too. This is probably my first proper town since I got Rush Hour about a month ago, but I've been looking through the other CJ's and seeing what's working and how to make the city functional and look nice.

 

Equilibria thanks, I'll get to it ASAP. I've taken 10 photo's today, but I'm looking for some quality ones before I commit. I will be renovating some of the more rundown areas soon, so that should provide some excitement.

 

Micah thanks, neither can I

 

Well, Hartleford hits 6 000+
Mayor William Power today announced that the official population count of Blue Water had reached 6600, although it is a widely held belief that this number may be higher, up to 7000 or more in the outlying areas. The rapid expansion in population has resulted in a huge number of council-approved rowhouses being erected, a move which clearly ruffles the feathers of the wealthier residents and ironically, also the poorer, with 95% of the new rowhouses and new city-dwellers being classified middle-income.

 

This has good repercussions on the ruling Blue Water Socialists (usually favoured by the progressive middle-class, which are currently holding four of the seven council seats, with the remainder being taken by Hartlesford Conservatives (2 seats, favoured by the wealthy) and the Agricultural and Industrial Workers Union (1 seat, favoured by the working class).

 

A few more pictures, not a whole lot to go by:

 

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Coming Update (in 2 days time)

    - Hartlesford Hits 10 000

    - Delapidation Problems!

    - A New Airport...

    - I Hate Farming

 

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[Equilibria 16]

Very nice. I like your explanation of your city council breakdown, as well as your finance report. Nice work.

[mayormommy 8]

Good start so far, the town isn't too overbuilt. But a region view would be nice!

[magpieshooter 1]

Ahh anoter CJ located in the land Down Under. Looking like a good introduction, nice extended beaches!

[1dera3 28]

Oooh, very nice. This looks like it will turn out very nice.

[kylaar 0]

Equilibria thanks, I'll have more of that council stuff coming up to the council elections and such.

 

mayormommy hmm yes, but the beaches viewed from the region view look very strange because the ends aren't covered up by the water for some reason from that view, but they sometimes work out right, I'll see what I can do.

 

magpieshooter yessiree, Australia is a great place to have a beach CJ, and I'll have more piccies of the beaches soon.

 

1dera3 thanks, I need encouragement like this to help me along

 

Entry One: Constructing A Coastal Tourist Community

Well I have ten photos today from Hartlesford, with the growth from 6 000 to the current population of just above 10 000 citizens, but first, a map of Hartlesford.

 

 

Most of this update takes place in Central Hartlesford and Hartlesford Bay. With the growth in population, there was a severe lack of commercial jobs for the new middle-class. This resulted in much of the inner-city areas becoming abandoned or slums, and huge demand for growth in outlying areas in Maryborough (out of town), Hartlesford Heights and further west.

 

While elections were still over two years away, the Conservatives were up in arms over the current elected officials lack of direction and began extolling their economic management skills, which had held Hartlesford and the surrounding areas in a high economic growth state for many years. However, seizing on record tourist numbers, the Hartlesford Council paid over $23 000 to lure American hotel chain Omni Resorts to open the second skyrise building in Hartlesford in the run-down areas over-looking Hartlesford Bay.

 

 

The main aim was not only to provide jobs, but to force the occupants in that area to move to the other side of downtown and renovate the dilapilated rowhouses there. The hotel was constructed at a large cost, but current occupancy rates of 90% indicate that this was a good investment. Two offers were tendered a the time, one from the eventual winner Omni, and the other from Sheraton Mirage hotels who were looking to expand from their Gold Coast resort.

 

 

Of course, many residents whose views were ruined protested at this move and the increased traffic, crime and litter bought to Hartlesford by tourists. At the same time, a new regional airport was opened south of Hartlesford. In a move to appease residents, funding was granted to open a new larger elementary school, which saw the relocation of Hartlesford Public across the road to a larger premises.

 

 

This picture is interesting because the rowhouses close to the water are abandoned. In later pictures, you will see them alternate between abandoned and lived-in. Finally, they were classified Historic Buildings, but due to lack of transport, the residents moved out. After the construction of the bus-stops, they again became inhabited.

 

 

I had a few requests for more beach shots, so here is the main beach. Possibly the most photographed area in Hartlesford.

 

 

The Mall is a relatively new addition to Hartleford shopping, with a Coles, Woolworths, Myer and 40 Specialty shops. It was later revealed that the council payed close to $6 000 to lure the developer into Hartlesford. It is located in Hartlesford Heights, just before the exit to Maryborough, meaning shoppers from Maryborough are frequenters of the mall. With the casino and the mall and close to the industrial area, these few streets have become dangerous areas and crime in relatively high compared with the rest of Hartleford.

 

 

Across the block another hotel was opened recently, although this one, the Hartleford Double Tree Hotel caters to business travelers and budget tourists. The view is still superb, but being located in Hartleford Heights, it is a ten minute bus trip down to the beach and boutique shops. Still, occupancy rates of about 86% over the year have made the management very pleased.

 

 

The new inner-city jobs boom and the opening of new industrial areas near the airport and in Maryborough have bought many working class citizens closer into Hartlesford, living in the Newhill suburb, close to the train station. If anyone has a good trainstation BAT for a suggestion, please post a link, I have looked, but nothing yet.

 

 

Of course, no Hartlesford holiday brochure of hotels, motels and resorts is complete without a mention of Hartlesfords first motel, Wandas Downtown Motel. Originally located on the main M1 Motorway linking to the Pacific Highway, known as Wandas Motor Inn, Wanda and her team moved downtown, and most locals are fiercely loyal to her. Although many big corporation run hotels have opened up, Wandas is still quite successful and well located.

 

 

All fixed up, I told you so! Now heratige listed. If anyone has any good rowhouse BATS listed in the STEX, please do post a link. The new buses were a boon to council popularity, and while they are temporary shelters, new designs are being drawn up as we speak to replace the fibro shelters in place now.

 

Thats all folks! Now, how about leaving a nice comment, or any comment

I'll be back with another update several days/comments/hours later.

 

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[Equilibria 16]

Nice update. As far as I know, this is the first CJ I've seen to have tourism play a major role in both development and the storyline. I like this idea, although since the game has no real tourism model (besides the ordinance and the resort hotel) most of the effects have to be contrived. I like not only the pictures of the beach, but also the scenes of the smaller, local elements, like the mall and Wanda's. Nice work.

[SYM Productions 7]

Argh I was looking at this and thinking the exact same thing Equilibra... and then I arrive at the final post and it's been said...

Oh well I'll say it again : beautiful work up until now... I can't believe I'm witnessing the first few days of a CJ with potential... not that there aren't out there everyday, but a CJ, to catch my attention, has to have a cool title... and boy did this catch my eye: Book Your Travel Now!  Blue Waters!

 

Very cool keep it up!

 

- CDI_spy , proud part of SYM Productions

[yoder7652 21]

I just stumbled upon this cj and have to admit that it is quite impressive. I think your beaches are spectacular and the graphics you use really enhance the overall feel of your posts. This makes me want to travel. Am I mistaken or does your font style resemble that of grand theft auto?

I look forward to more!

[oroen 0]

Very attractive presentation! The beachfront looks great as well.

[jacqulina 162]

wonderfull beaches,and what a great start look forward to more

[kylaar 0]

Equilibria true, and I think that Maxis should maybe focus on tourism next time round just a bit more. However, there is some impact, for example the new hotels meant that employment has gone up and many more residents have been able to become R$$, which would be similar to real life. Also, because of this growth, there has been an increase in garbage and traffic, again paralleling real life situations in towns such as Noosa and Byron Bay in NSW, Australia which are in a similar situation. But yes, it would be nice to have tourist statistics and effects on the city. Thanks, I like the smaller elements myself, and I will be focusing on them more.

 

SYM Productions thanks, thats such a nice comment but the title is kinda awful, but I couldn't think of anything else, and same goes for the region name. HA! Blue Waters, (I suppose opposed to Green Waters)...

 

yoder7652 perhaps it does, but the font is called Lakmus, it does have a kinda resemblance to the GTA one, but I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out   Thanks, but the graphical praise has to go to the excellent BATers and MODders on STEX. I'm using much more of the BSC/Deadwood stuff for the next update.

 

oroen thanks, I hope it continues to get better

 

jacqulina thankya! makes me want to play SC even more. I'm taking a break, but I'll have an update soon.

 

Next Update In Two Days:

• Maryborough and South Hartleford
• Hartleford hits 18 000
• Some more suprises..........

 

[Pooty 228]

this is nice! I love that GTA font you got goin' there.

[sloppet 3]

Nice work kylaar !
The start of this CJ is nice, and the pictures are good! Keep it up!

[kylaar 0]

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Entry Two From Farms to Tourist Trap

The population of Hartleford has hit 16 000, far from the early days of the farming community. With council elections coming up in just over a year, another motion will be also voted on at the same time: if Blue Waters Shire should be split into two; Blue Waters and Hartlesford.

On the employment front, there seems to be much less unemployment, however the council is having difficulty in attracting commercial businesses to Hartleford. There has also been a large-scale removal of farming land and a change to R$ property, a boon for the Unionists.

This update will focus on two things. Firstly, the new sports complex and some suburbs, and secondly, on the new beaches at Bower Bay, previously undeveloped agricultural land.

The ageing Hartleford Medical Centre was unable to cope with increased population pressures, and a plan was commissioned to complete a new hospital. However, at this time, FitnessFirst health Clubs met with the council to ask permission to build a 5 000 capacity sports centre in Hartleford. These were combined into the Hartleford Health and Sport Centre.

 

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The centre has now established loyalty programs with the Omni Hotel and has recently increased parking spaces and capacity to meet demand. It is also a large employer in downtown Hartleford.

Next up is a new division of the council offices to meet the increased demand with planning in Hartleford along with transport. The Hartleford Office of Central Planning & Transport is the resulting building, currently co-ordinating new tourism planning, along with information and tourist centres.

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The areas just outside Maryborough and close to the Hyatt Resort & Casino were long seen as the dump of Hartleford and zoned into agricultural use. However, with increasing numbers of tourists flocking to the main beaches, it was prudent to enlarge the area and provide more housing and business opportunities. This meant the creation of Bower Bay and beach foreshore.

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New beach and park areas were established and a retaining wall was erected to allow for new zoning of residential and commercial property. This also resulted in the construction of a new set of offices for the administration of the council activities.

 

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Some more of everybody's favourite mangrove reserves...

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Now, to see the more shady, grim side of Hartleford. The suburbs in Hartleford Heights see a mix of the working class and middle class. However, the newer areas of these suburbs are inhabited by the poor, most supported by the state through CentreLink. While there are opportunities, many are taken by the better connected and the lack of serious management strategies of the drugs and criminal behaviour prevelant in these areas is hurting the current Socialist-leaning council.

 

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These areas near New Hill are booming because of the recently connected train line and new bus routes, making this previously traffic-clogged journey into a short 10 minute trip to the central areas.

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Anyway, thats all for now, a short update I know, but one that will hopefully lead way to newer and more exciting things. Please post suggestions and the like, but next update we shall see a new hotel move into town, Hartleford reach 20 000, more suburban adventures including one to the ice-rink and much more...

That's all she wrote (at least for this week)

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[sharkbait16 0]

Beautiful beaches.  Would love to live down there.

[Equilibria 16]

This is still looking great. Normally I'd comment on the numerous at-grade railway crossings, but in this context I think they actually are rather realistic, at least on the small roads. I'd watch the crossings with major roads and avenues, though. These beaches look very inviting.

[Frymon 0]

Very nice I like it

[soldyne 111]

yep gotta love them beaches.  This city reminds me of when I lived in West Palm Beach, Florida.  nice mix of low and high rise buildings too.

[SYM Productions 7]

Ooh... very beautiful ... nothing more to be said...

- CDI_spy