CANDIDATE Q&A: Revitalisation of the CBD

CANDIDATES have been asked: Revitalisation of the CBD seems to be at a standstill. What do you think should happen next?

Bundaberg CBD East and the Burnett River.

THE NewsMail has asked each council candidate a set of questions in the lead up to the election on Saturday.

This is the sixth question in our series in our series leading up to the local government election to be held on Saturday: Revitalisation of the CBD seems to be a standstill. What do you think should have happen next with this process?

Most of the candidates answered this question before local businesses were impacted by coronavirus policies, which could have an impact on their responses.

• Question 1: Open for Development
• Question 2: Time for change?
• Question 3: What Bundaberg needs
• Question 4: Flood proofing for Bundaberg
• Question 5: Level 5 Hospital

 

Mayoral candidates

Jack Dempsey

The State Government needs to implement the Flood Action Plan to give investors greater confidence.

Council wants to link the riverfront precinct with the CBD to create an attractive urban environment that improves liveability.

This requires removing heavy traffic from Quay St to make the area pedestrian friendly.

 

Helen Blackburn

It is important for this council to have the CBD revitalisation program implemented in this term of council.

The CBD is tired and not welcoming. This can be addressed this term with a new council team.

Council has funding put aside for the works to be carried out and is looking for matched funding from state and federal governments.

 

Kirt Anthony

Revitalisation of the CBD was a waste of time, councillor workers' time and ratepayers' money.

I went out there today like most days and took pictures of bad roads, that could defect vehicles and endanger lives. Now that's money well spent.

Bundaberg Regional Council and councillors copped public scrutiny from that (revitalisation) project because the people didn't want it at all.

 

Division 1

Jason Bartels

The CBD needs to evolve to be able to survive and become sustainable in the long term. The retail world is changing and the way we use to do things is no longer relevant.

In my opinion, the revitalisation of the CBD should include a mixture of residential facilities, short term accommodation, food and drink outlets and retail.

I have never been in favour of the proposed "beautification" upgrade to the existing

street scape and believe that this would not only be a waste of ratepayers' money but would probably cause more businesses to close due to the disruption to their trade during the construction.

Any beautification/upgrades should be undertaken in line with any new development.

 

Scott Allison

I have been involved in two redevelopment studies and series of meeting over the last 10 years both of which have resulted in nothing.

As a former Bourbong street CBD business owner/operator for 14 years and only selling the business in October last year, the CBD need to be cleaned up, brightened up and needs better parking.

Businesses in the CBD are struggling, The CBD used to be the shopping heart of Bundaberg but not anymore. The council need to encourage businesses to stay in the CBD and work with landlords to keep them there, keep their shops clean and presentable at all times.

 

Peter Wyatt

Let's have a consultation with the shop owners and get moving.

 

Division 3

Wayne Honor

Bypass Quay street and the city centre with a corridor for transport and through traffic to enable better shopping access, and connect the city centre to a riverside recreation precinct.

 

David Ferguson

Revitalisation of the CBD is an issue that needs to be revisited by the new council, seeking further input from affected stakeholders and the wider community.

Worldwide declines in the retail sector demand fresh, innovative solutions. I wouldn't like to see ratepayer funds wasted on " white elephant " proposals.

 

Paul Bongioletti

As per SSS Strawberries investment and major investment in the CBD, developers should be given the chance to amalgamate properties. Perhaps new councillors with business experience will be an asset to this complex problem.

 

Division 4

John Valuch

Redesign it with global heating in mind, meaning that more trees need to be incorporated for cooling purposes.

Have a car free area between Maryborough and Barolin streets. Rethink the demaining of Quay St as the traffic has to go somewhere and build some multi-story carparks.

To encourage people and businesses into the CBD, make the junk food giants build a shop in the CBD rather that buy all the best real estate around the town that draws people away from the CBD.

 

Tracey McPhee

I was a member of the CRG for the Revitalisation of the CBD, and I understand why this project was put on hold.

At the time, it wouldn't have made sense to go ahead and spend $16M on this project, only to later spend more money changing the new upgrades to facilitate other major projects which are going to hopefully happen in the not too distance future - redirecting heavy traffic off Quay St, flood mitigation and the Riverfront Masterplan.

Something that could happen next week would be to give it a clean up. The entire street and facilities need a big scrubdown. It's very dirty currently.

Another project we could support and implement is a 'Renew Newcastle' type project. This is a not-for-profit model, rolled out in 2008 in Newcastle. At the time they had four times the number of vacant shop in their CBD. The project has transformed the Newcastle CBD and brought it back to life.

Some figures from the 10 years the project ran: 82 Properties were activate, 264 Participants involved, 174 of these participants went on to operate successful businesses in their own right.

Key benefits: job creation, skill development, volunteer engagement, mitigation of blight, improved business confidence and improved regional brand value.

 

Tanya Lee Jones

Any investment of our CBD must also include the business areas of Bundaberg North.

The obvious need to revitalise the CBD is parking.

Maybe underground or aerial over existing road ways. It is time to think outside the square.

 

Division 5

Beau Jansen

We need to support the retailers by providing residents with a reason to come to the CBD. A river front precinct similar to Rockhampton will give a new lease to the CBD and help provide a missing link in our tourism offering.

 

Division 6

Tanya McLoughlin

I believe opening up the riverside and creating access to it from Bourbong St is the key. Thus the State Government de-maining Quay Street is essential.

Our State MPs both need to be very vocal and more effective at lobbying for this to occur.

 

Division 7

Joseph Ellul

People won't shop if they can't park. Unless parking is made abundant in the inner city trading is going to continue to fail.

Although there has been great expenditure in the city to develop it to where it is, it does not appear to be working as we can all see. A new plan must be developed and budgeted for to make the inner-city a place people once again want to spend time and money.

 

Mitch Pukallus

We have to be careful with any move to change our CBD. We do not want to make the same mistake as the one that was made when we altered our traditional wide, flowing street into the frustrating and choked CBD we have today. With regards to the future, I believe we would need to satisfy three immediate criteria before making a decision - 1. Will the change increase levels of satisfaction amongst business owners in the CBD? 2. Can we afford it? 3. How will we measure its success or failure?

 

Vince Habermann

The CBD needs to be revitalised but without a huge commitment of funds by Council or some State and/or Federal Government funding of the project, it could not be rolled out in its entirety. Without external funding, a decision needs to be made if all or part of the plan will be implemented and it be included in future works planning.

 

Division 8

Steve Cooper

Bundaberg is at a turning point and the state government is holding all cards for a Level 5 hospital, water security and flood mitigation. Both sides of politics must commit in the upcoming election to deliver these essentials for Bundaberg.

 

Division 9

Geoff Augutis

It makes sense to link the riverfront with the CBD. The SSS Strawberries building will bring more people into the CBD which will help existing businesses. An anchor tenant in education or health would be good. Council's move into the top of the Auswide building was a positive for shops and eateries. We need more of this.

 

Chris Foley

Community consultation.

 

May Mitchell

After the financial, psychological and health consequences of the Coronavirus are known, I think Council's spending priorities are going to be very different to what they were two years ago.

 

Division 10

Tim Sayre

Council is targeting construction commencement no earlier than 2020 to take advantage of Federal and State funding opportunities and construction will not commence until external funding is secured, which is how it should be, minimising the risk to rate payers.

Our CBD needs more cooled shade areas, better parking, and more of it, and central management, all to be able to compete with the shopping centres. This is part of a larger plan that must be zero cost to the rate payers of Bundaberg.

 

John Learmonth

Shopping as we know it is changing. Plans drawn up yesterday may not suit tomorrow. A minimalist approach highlighting our old architecture with increased parking and beautification of the riverbank park would attract people.

 

Bundaberg candidates who have not responded include: Bill Trevor (confirmed Div 2 councillor), Greg Barnes (Div 2 incumbent), Kelly Woods (Div 6), Ramon Creevey (Div 7). The NewsMail would value their insight.

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