What's the future of Mary Street? GT readers have their say

"With my fresh eyes and no baggage I only see the great place the Gympie region is and what it could easily be.”

DIVIDED: The Gympie Times readers have shared their opinions on the future of Mary Street. Picture: Renee Albrecht

A LETTER writer with a dream vision for the future of Gympie - and Mary Street in particular - has inspired plenty of opinion on the CBD's future from Gympie Times readers.

Don Parry, of Kandanga, detailed how he thinks the "truly beautiful” street, which is "rich in historical architecture”, could benefit from Gympie's future generations electing to remain local, start businesses and embrace lifestyle opportunities on offer in the region.

Mr Parry said empty retail shops presented perhaps the biggest chance for the town centre to flourish in the future.

Upper Mary street Gympie. Picture: Renee Albrecht

FULL LETTER: Why Mary Street's empty shop fronts are its biggest asset

"I am currently working on a project with two Queensland universities, the CSIRO and The Eco-efficiency Group helping six rural councils in Queensland transition to a better future, but none of these councils have the ingredients that the Gympie region has,” Mr Parry's letter to the editor read.

"My recurring dream, every time I go to Mary Street, is all the old (and now empty) retail space is packed with start-up IT businesses (filled with 18 to 30 years) who then flood out to street cafes, micro bars and listen to live music, go home to their affordable housing and on weekends head to Fraser, Rainbow, surrounding camping destinations, Noosa and Brisbane.

"With my fresh eyes and no baggage I only see the great place the Gympie region is and what it could easily be.”

Mary St/Channon St intersection. Picture: Donna Jones

MORE ON MARY STREET

- 2019: A big year for major Gympie developments

- Business owners concerned about council upgrade

- Has work begun on a multi-million dollar Gympie CBD project?

Locals were quick to weigh in on how Gympie's main street could be improved when Mr Parry's opinions were shared to Facebook.

Providing more parking options for shoppers was among the most popular responses.

"I refuse to go down the main street unless I really have to,” Bec Holt wrote.

"Usually only go to the post office, I can never find a park without having to walk for ages.”

READY TO UPGRADE: The concepts for the Mary St revitalisation show a host of changes. Picture: Gympie Regional Council

Flood-proofing the CBD, improving the general "atmosphere” of the street and even installing a mall similar to that of Armidale were some of the other common responses.

More affordable rental options for new traders was also raised by multiple readers.

"A decent cafe or restaurant that's actually open seven days a week where you can have (an) all you can eat breakfast buffet and (lunches),” Grant Ianson opined.

"Atmosphere, cafes with play (areas) for kids nearby, weekly markets, no cars, parking close by but not in Mary Street. Check out Armidale,” Claudia Granshaw said.

Gympie Regional Council's controversial $3 million Upper Mary St upgrades appeared to begin last November and are expected to be complete between July and September.

What do you think could improve Mary St? Follow The Gympie Times on Facebook and let us know.

YOUR SAY

Lauren Marcello: Public toilets that don't make you want to have a shower with a wire brush and bleach if you have the misfortune to have to use them.

Jennifer MacGregor: Drop the rent for the shopkeepers and more parking.

Nickole Lowe: Maybe signage on the highway for travellers? Easy to follow parking signs for longer vehicles etc? Get the tourists in! Tourist dollars are the key. Gympie ... is so much more than the coast!

Tania Goodall: Make it a mall like Queen St in Brisbane.

David John Burns: Rent prices way too high for a start. And while the place floods can't see many businesses wanting to set up in Mary Street.

Johnny Williams: Close the bottom half that floods and turn into parkland.

Wendy Emmerson: More access into the main street from the rear of the shops, so much wasted space out the back there and not many walk-(throughs).

Emily Wickham: Make the food outlets stay open longer than 12 noon on Saturday. Because people will go where they can get food and there is nothing open past 12 noon on a Saturday only pubs. Even if they are open until 2pm get the lunch (crowd) and then close.

Beka Clegg: A walk-through mall.

Narelle N Dave Gruar: Don't fill the shops. Get rid of the lower down ones and provide a great place for caravans and the like to stop refresh and shop without the hassle of parking. When the bypass goes through we will rely on those tourists. We have to make it easy and attractive for them to stop in Gympie.