1990s

1990

• Steven Maharey elected as MP for Palmerston North

• Mohair Fashion Awards hosted in Palmerston North

• Te Marae-O-Hine – paved courtyard ‘Marae' in The Square opened as part of City celebrations for New Zealand sesqui-centenary

• Palmerston North Passenger Services Ltd, the Council's bus company, is established

• PDC – Premier Department Store on The Square closes

• Farmers Mutual building on The Square opens, it is the tallest building in Palmerston North (2008)

• Downtown complex's first 10 shops open

• PDC building on The Square demolished

• Downtown complex final stage is completed with the opening of Downtown Cinema 6 (now Downtown Cinemas)

1991

• Population 70,318

• Recycling services initiated by the City Council

• A failure of the water main supplying the water treatment plant causes the entire lower dam reservoir to empty; the City is forced to reply on artesian wells while repairs are made

• End of Palmerston North Passenger Services Ltd after it fails to obtain Manawatu Regional Council's contract for City bus service, the contract goes to the Manawatu Regional Council

• Arohanui Hospice in Heretaunga Street officially opened by Mayor Paul Rieger

• The Plaza shopping centre opens with K-Mart, Foodtown and specialty shops all in one complex

• Arthur Barnett Department Store on The Square closes

1992

• New Terminal Building opened at City Airport, $3 departure tax levied on all departing passengers

• Pro Gas Systems Ltd established (Council's gas company)

• Flooding

• Electro Power Ltd established (Council's electricity distribution company) (this may have been 1993)

• Manawatu Mills changes name to Champion Flourmills

1993

• Major staffing restructure of the City Council

• Summerhill Drive / Tennant Drive flyover is completed, easing traffic congestion to Massey University at peak times

• Massey University opens the Albany Campus in Auckland

• Totaranui settlers cottage is relocated to Manawatu Museum and Science Centre (now Te Manawa)

1994

• First International Festival in The Square is held

• ‘Polytechnic-in-the-Park' proposal fails; the Manawatu Polytechnic offers its first degree course

• Broadway Avenue streetscape upgrade completed

• Pro Gas Systems Ltd (Council's gas company) sold to Enerco New Zealand for $34 million

• Te Awe Awe Complex opens - new Science Centre and Manawatu Museum building

1995

• George Street streetscape upgrade complete

• K&M Print moves to upper Cuba Street

• Ansett Dash 8 Flight 703 crashes in the Tararua Ranges, four fatalities

1996

• Population 73,080

• Coleman Place streetscape upgrade complete

• Electro Power Ltd and CentralPower Ltd merge ($70 million)

• Tui Milk Products and Kiwi Co-Operative Dairies merge

• International flights commence from City Airport (scheduled passenger services to Australia)

• Downtown Cinema 7 becomes Downtown Cinema 8, now Downtown Cinemas (2008)

• Improvements to the smaller lower dam at Turitea waterworks start

• A Massey University graduation ceremony is the last function held at the Opera House

• Demolition of the Palmerston North Opera House on Church Street

• City Library opens new $16.9 million Central Library Building in reworked Rossco / DIC building on The Square

1997

• Plane trees in Fitzherbert Avenue felled by City Council after considerable public protest locally and nationally, Fitzherbert Avenue converted to four lanes

• Centennial celebrations of Victoria Esplanade

• Fire Service reopens a station in Terrace End

• Massey University merges with the Palmerston North College of Education (Teachers College)

• Two years of modifications to the old lower dam are opened by Mayor Paul Reiger, the dam is now a “concrete faced rock-fill structure” and increases the height by 3 metres

1998

• The Council commissions a 6000 m 3 water reservoir at Ngahere Park, alongside the existing one, a 66% increase in water storage capacity

• Jacqueline Jill White (Jill) is the first woman Mayor for Palmerston North

• Freyberg swimming pool opens as a community pool at the Freyberg High School

• Regent Theatre opens as premiere City Theatre after extensive ($13 million) renovation work, it replaces the former City Opera House

1999

• Vision Manawatu established

• Peacekeeping troops sent to East Timor

• Youth Justice Centre opens in Mohaka Place

• Manawatu Polytechnic opens new Central Campus in King Street

• King Street streetscape upgrade complete

• Wellington Polytechnic merges with Massey University

• Automation of the Turitea water treatment plant complete

• The Manawatu Polytechnic becomes UCOL (the Universal College of Learning)

• Central Power's Tararua Windfarm opened by Wyatt Creech, regulations force Central Power to sell the wind farm

• Adidas Institute of Rugby opened at Massey University by PM Jenny Shipley

• Commissioning of the Keith Street artesian bore provides a 24% increase in source capacity for the City's water supply

• PDC (Premier Drapery Company) staff reunion held