Mike Newman, well known as the juggling man of Palmerston North, died this week.

Palmerston North's juggling man has died and the city is mourning his loss.

For more than two decades Mike Newman, 68, juggled in the background of Palmerston North life. Anyone who spent much time in the city knew of him.

Since his death this week there has been an outpouring of tributes on social media, and flowers and juggling balls have appeared by his usual spot at Downtown on Broadway's Main St entrance.

"Mike was an identity in the city. Everybody knew him. He was just a nice and gentle person," said Palmerston North City councillor Lew Findlay, who used to run Shepherd's Rest.

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Newman was a long-term resident at Shepherd's Rest, a free emergency accommodation service, and started street juggling in 1995.

Findlay said Newman often needed extra money to get by, but never wanted something for nothing.

"He wasn't a beggar. He wanted to work for it... [so] he just put his hat down, juggled, and if people enjoyed it and wanted to throw some change in they could."

Newman never took much, and when he had enough he put the hat away and juggled for fun.

"He used to love it when kids stopped to watch. He'd come back with a big smile on his face to tell me all about it."

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Susan McConachy knew Newman for nearly 30 years.

Susan McConachy knew Newman since he was a part of the Palmerston North Community Arts Council in 1991 – and it was through an arts council programme he first learnt to juggle.

"He was already having trouble with housing at that point, but he was staying somewhere and he was even a member of the board for a while."

McConachy admired Newman for his positivity, and ability to do his own thing while remaining open and welcoming to anyone who approached him.

He would freely discuss his problems, but rarely complained, she said.

A head injury in a car accident when he was young left Newman with sight problems and he later developed a mental illness.

"He also grew up poor in a rural household. He'd always been subject to poverty and it's hard to break out of that."

MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Mike Newman was injured in a car accident when he was young.

McConachy said Newman left the board during a bad period with his mental illness, but she often saw him out juggling and always stopped to catch up.

But as she's grown older and busier with community boards, including the Regent on Broadway, she's had less time to get into the city and had fallen out of touch with Newman.

"I was quite taken aback to hear he died, but it was nice to see all the tributes to him."

Newman was a beautiful soul and it was a shame so many had known of him, but so few had taken the time to get to know him, she said.

"There's an invisibility to people like him, which is a sad reflection of society."

Trade Aid Palmerston North manager Nicky Armstrong said it was hard to imagine the central city without Newman. It felt like he had always been there.

Armstrong said she got to know him well, and anyone who stopped to talk to him found out he was a kind man and a deep thinker.

"We'd talk a lot about his life, and life in general. He was quite philosophical and always so positive despite the hardships he'd faced.

"Mike always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. Talking to him made your day."

Armstrong said it was touching how quickly tributes to Newman appeared on social media and on the street.

"People noticed he was gone, almost straight away.

"It goes to show he made a real difference in people's lives... He will be sadly missed. Mike was a treasure."

Newman's funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised.