Cronulla Street before the mall. Picture Fairfax Media

Rugby league Immortal Norm Provan was an early advocate for the Cronulla mall when he was a Sutherland Shire councillor from 1968 to 1971.

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A council publication, dated December 1970, includes a photo of Cr Provan discussing the plan to convert Cronulla Street into a pedestrians only zone with town planner Jack Nicholls and a business owner.

Norm's sister-in-law, Cr Carol Provan, recalled the history ahead of the opening on Saturday May 30 of the new Town Centre at the top of the mall.

1970 photo shows Cr Norm Provan discussing the plan to convert Cronulla Street into a pedestrians only zone with town planner Jack Nicholls and John Arena from Dino's Bistro.

"The mall idea had support, but was shelved for a few years until the 1980s," she said.

"The council then received a $1 million Bicentennial grant towards the project.

"I was part of the council which approved spending $4 million to do the work."

Work on Cronulla mall in 1988.

Cr Provan said the project divided the community.

"Chamber of Commerce president Kevin Schreiber, who was later a councillor and mayor, was against it unless we built a car park," she said.

"We agreed to do this at a cost of $2.6 million.

"Ian Swords, who was shire president (mayor) and other Labor councillors and independents like me approved the work.

Thousands attended the official opening of Cronulla Bicentennial Plaza by Nick Greiner, with celebrations including a Chinese Lion Dance.

"The Liberal Party was against it and said too much was being spent in Cronulla. In fact a number of councillors boycotted the opening for this reason."

Carol Provan was shire president and opened the car park in 1988, and in February 1989 Premier Nick Greiner officially opened what was named Bicentennial Cronulla Plaza.

"Moving on to 2026, we are opening the upgrade with similar concerns in the community," she said.

"Some love it and some hate it, and some councillors think we spend too much in Cronulla."

Cr Provan has previously told the Leader the mall "changed the whole atmosphere of Cronulla" and stimulated high-quality developments.

Major developments such as Cote d'Azur, Sur Mer (Northies), Kingsway on Cronulla Beach hotel (later to become Rydges), and the Cecil Apartments followed.