Mackay council to debate Will Baker skate park memorial mural

A petition to save a controversial mural at the Blacks Beach skate park went national, but it was not enough to save it from being painted over. Here’s how councillors voted.

The Eimeo skate park mural will be painted over within seven days after council voted to reject the repeal of their motion to remove the artwork from the previous meeting.

Mackay Regional Council heard from three passionate community members who spoke to the significance of the art to local kids, the strong response from the community against the council’s decision and the potentially devastating impact painting over the mural could have.

Mayor Greg Williamson started the debate by stressing the decision should consider the council’s corporate plan focused on the desire to connect and interact with the community rather than the desire to follow protocol.

Both councillors Karen May and Michelle Green expressed their belief the council should wait for community consultation to take place before the artwork was painted over.

Cr Martin Bella was the only speaker against the repeal motion and said there were a number of reasons as to why the previous decision was made and they had not changed.

The councillors followed Mr Bella’s perspective and elected to deny the repeal of the motion.

After the meeting, Mr Williamson said the decision meant the artwork would be removed within the next seven days.

“That is the motion of council and that is what will happen,” he said.

“The democratically elected people who are on the council represent the whole region.

“The consideration is that the elected members around the table have democratically decided on that particular piece of artwork out there and that is what the decision of council has got to be.”

Mr Williamson said the decision was not a move to not consult the community, but that the artwork needed to be removed.

Cr May said she was compelled to put forward the repeal because she felt “the council did not make the right decision”.

She wanted to provide time for consultation so an “informed decision” could be made.

“We are not going to get that opportunity now,” Cr May said.

“There was not even any debate, there was only one councillor who actually debated the issue and that sends a message to me that the decision was made before we got in the room

“I’ve got no other thing to do but to accept the decision of today’s meeting.

“What that does for council’s reputation, I think, remains to be seen.”

Amanda Camm has lashed a decision to paint over a mural honouring late Eimeo teen Will Baker, saying she was “completely appalled” by the vote.

The Whitsunday MP and Northern Beaches resident said the vote of eight councillor was a “blatant disregard” for the community, youth and “demonstrates a lack of willingness to consult broadly”.

Ms Camm, a former Mackay deputy mayor who officially opened the Camilleri Street Oark, said she would work to support the community, and called out the councillors who voted to have the artwork painted over.

“I am completely appalled by the vote of eight councillors today who voted against community consultation which will result in the artwork being painted over with the use of ratepayer’s money,” she said in a statement.

“I commend Deputy Mayor Karen May who brought forward a Notified Motion to Councils meeting today in support of community consultation in regard to the Camilleri Street Park - Skate Park Mural along with the support of (Councillor) Michelle Green.

“I also note the Mayor’s vote to support community consultation.”

Ms Camm commended the work of the community in taking the issue to the council for consideration.

“I especially acknowledge the advocacy by Bessie Hayes a local resident from Rural View and Sonja from Mad Cow Coffee who advocated on behalf of our local youth at the council meeting,” she said.

“The last council meeting debate and today’s vote to deny community consultation led by Cr. Bella and supported by Cr. Bonaventura, Cr Englert, Cr. Hassan, Cr, Mann, Cr, Townsend and Cr. Seymour is a blatant disregard for the Northern Beaches community, youth across our region and demonstrates a lack of willingness to consult broadly.

“I will work with the community to ensure our Northern Beaches and Young people are supported through this appalling decision.”

Petition to save divisive skate park art goes national

A petition to save a divisive skate park mural honouring late Eimeo teen Will Baker has gone national with more than 1000 people signing to keep the artwork.

The petition accompanies a repeal motion from Deputy Mayor Karen May in the agenda of Wednesday’s council meeting.

The motion seeks to reverse the Mackay Regional Council’s decision to paint over the artwork before its conducts the necessary community consultation.

Mrs May’s motion is about providing “a whole community view” before making an immediate decision to remove the artwork.

Council officers have recommended the repeal motion be carried.

Mrs May said she was not happy with the council’s decision earlier this month to remove the artwork.

“I think they (the community) will be very disappointed in council’s decision today to paint over what has already been done, made by donated funds by the community, donated time by the artist,” she said.

“We have to be flexible and there is always going to be times where you need to go against the officer’s recommendation or you need to go against a policy.

“In this particular circumstance, there was extraordinary circumstances that would warrant us to go against the policy.”

The issue prompted a tense debate among the councillors at the meeting, with the decision to remove the artwork made on the basis that no removal would set a precedent for future activities by the community.

The petition directed to acting chief executive officer Angela Hays described the councillors as “out of touch with the Northern Beaches community and its youth”.

Signatories provided their reasons for signing the petition.

Dan Ryan from Blackwater said he believed the mural has “changed the atmosphere of the area” and kids have a “sense of pride and connection to the park”.

He asked why the council would waste resources to cover the art.

Tracey Hocking from Townsville said the decision was “bureaucracy at its worst” and that the artist had done an amazing job.

Councillors will again vote on the issue but with the vote being six to three in favour of removing the artwork last time, it would require a significant shift in mindset for the move to repeal the motion to be upheld.

‘Slap in the face’: Petition to fight skate park mural removal

A decision to remove a memorial mural to honour late Eimeo teen Will Baker, who tragically died in a motorbike crash in May, has been described as ‘a slap in the face’.

Bessie Hayes, the organiser of an online petition trying to save the mural, was inspired to help after Mackay councillors voted to paint over the artwork after receiving a retrospective approval application.

“I just found the reasons they used to refuse the retrospective approval was just bureaucracy really,” Ms Hayes said.

“It is a space for the kids and that decision yesterday was made by older men and women who don’t use skateparks and it didn’t seem like they quite comprehended what that space was going to mean for the Northern Beaches’ kids and the kids that use that skatepark.

“They were very much just hinging on it setting a precedent for future artworks just to be put up and ask for forgiveness which is very much not the case.”

Ms Hayes described the mural organisers as “extremely apologetic for the miscommunication”.

“They ceased work immediately and then filed a completed application that was turned down because Councillor (Martin) Bella thought two people perhaps would not like it,” she said.

“It’s just bureaucracy, it’s an important space for those kids and a waste of resources to remove it.

“It’s a slap in the face to the community members who fundraised and bought those resources off their own back.”

Ms Hayes said the mural being painted over would be “just absurd” and took aim at Cr Bella for the points he raised.

“Bella hinged all of this on the unfortunate other two people that were involved in William’s incident,” she said.

“I’m just going to go out on a limb and say those two individuals don’t frequent skateparks, so it’s not something that is going to be in their face all the time.

“William was only 17, he’s a young kid who made a mistake and we can all recognise that, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t left friends behind that are grieving for him and his mistakes.

“Even if people do see that space as a memorial, maybe it is a reminder to young kids as to what your choices can mean.”

Tributes were left at the intersection of Hancock St and Blacks Beach Rd in Blacks Beach where Eimeo teen Will Baker, 17, was critically injured in a collision between his dirt bike and the Blacks Beach Tavern courtesy bus on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Will later died in Mackay Base Hospital after his organs were donated. Picture: Tara Miko

The council has since released a statement after Councillor Karen May delivered a notified motion to repeal the previous council motion in relation to removal of the mural.

“The notified motion further requests that a period of community consultation takes place prior to any further action being taken at the site,” council chief executive officer Angela Hays said.

“Having received this notified motion, council will suspend any removal activities until this motion can be debated by council.”

Mackay councillors voted against the office’s recommendation to accept the application for a placemaking mural at the Camilleri Street Skate Park where Will spent a large amount of time.

Presenting to Mackay Regional Council, artist Anita Laura explained she was halfway through the mural when she realised the art had not gone through the appropriate application process.

She described the situation as a miscommunication between her and the stakeholders.

Ms Laura hoped her work if approved would serve to brighten the space and uphold a theme of connection.

She said the family specifically requested the work to be a mural and not a memorial, and stressed there would be no reference to Will’s face or name.

Ms Hays had recommended to councillors the application to be approved.

She spoke to the positive impact of having an artspace and the expected increase to feelings of pride in the skatepark.

Ms Hays held a genuine belief the failure to go through proper processes was a mistake.

Councillors Karen May and Martin Bella were two vocal contributors at either side of the debate. Picture: Contributed.

Councillor Martin Bella disagreed and suggested their story did not add up.

He said there would be a number of reasons he would reject the application.

One being that it would accept a go ahead with works and “apologise later” attitude.

Cr Bella said while the application stated it was not a memorial, the fact the community accepted it as one was “inescapable”, and a memorial at the skate park would go against council policy.

While other councillors would call for compassion for Will’s family and friends, Cr Bella asked for compassion to be shown to everyone involved in the incident.

“Who bothered to ring the driver of the bus?” Cr Bella said.

“This was not a single faceted accident, this was an accident that involved two other people.”

“One of whom went to work and through no fault of their own was involved in this accident, the other who went for recreation, was in the same vehicle and was involved through no fault of their own.

“People whose lives through no fault of their own impacted in a hideous way and may well deal with this for the rest of their lives.”

Tributes were left at the intersection of Hancock St and Blacks Beach Rd in Blacks Beach where Eimeo teen Will Baker, 17, was critically injured in a collision between his dirt bike and the Blacks Beach Tavern courtesy bus on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Will later died in Mackay Base Hospital after his organs were donated. Picture: Tara Miko

Deputy Mayor Karen May was strong in her support of the application’s approval.

She said the mural would work to increase belonging and stewardship of the space, and said the council’s role was to facilitate grassroots community action.

Cr May said it was not their role to discuss opinions on the mural, but to debate the application.

She described the potential of painting over the work already done as “one of the biggest mistakes this council has made”.

Councillor Green was the only vocal supporter of Cr May’s arguments to accept the application.

She said it would be a great waste of funds raised by the Northern Beaches community, should the art be removed.

Crs Green and May, along with Mayor Greg Williamson were the three to vote in favour of the application.

Other councillors focused on the precedent it would set if the mural was approved, the potential for complaints from past applicants and the limited scope of community engagements as the reasons they would reject the proposal.

After the tense debate among councillors, Mayor Williamson simplified the council’s reasons for the decision.

“The council has ruled today that we need to abide by our policies,” he said.

“Our policy clearly states if you’re going to put any public art up … one, you have got to apply to council and, then, you have got to have some public consultation.

“Council will now paint over the original mural and hopefully some external community consultation will happen.

“We will hopefully be involved in that and we will get a skate park mural that is applicable.”

Grief-stricken teens mourning the death of Will Baker after a motorbike crash in Eimeo found some solace through public art at his favourite place – the skate park.

In the days after the 17 year old died in hospital after the horrific crash on Blacks Beach Road on May 28, works began on a mural in his honour at the Camilleri Street Skate Park where Will spent a large amount of time.

His friend and skateboarding mentor Brenton Hawkins described Will as a “super positive young boy … really friendly to everyone and always super helpful”.

Will, 17, and his dad were regulars helping out at events Mr Hawkins put on, even helping to paint the Slade Point skate park as part of past renovations.

“He’d always be the first kid to come and say hello to everyone or introduce himself,” he said.

But the public art on Mackay council-owned property was done without appropriate approvals, and the plan did not involve the teen’s family.

Now a motion is before Mackay Regional Council to retrospectively approve the artwork intended to “create a sense of belonging and connection for young people in the community” who use the park.

Artist Anita Laura has applied to the council to approve the artwork.

“Work on the mural has already commenced and is well progressed,” council documents state.

“This occurred following the death of a local Blacks Beach youth who was a regular at the skate park.

“In an effort to bring the young people of the area together and under the mistaken assumption that all the required approvals were in place to undertake the mural, the artist started work in the absence of the proper process being followed.

“While the mural is supported by the deceased youth’s family, they are not involved in the application, nor were they involved in the activities that led to the work on the mural commencing.”

Ms Laura has consulted with groups Will was involved with, including the Eimeo Surf Life Saving Club and Australian Skateboarding Association, both of which have supported her application to the council.

“While the installation of the mural commenced prior to the required approval being in place, the artist was not aware this was the case and steps have now been taken to rectify this situation,” documents state.

“Overall, the application for the mural is supported by officers and many in the local community, including youth using the skate park, and therefore it is recommended that Council support the application.”

Will died days after the May 28 crash on Blacks Beach Rd when a dirt bike he was riding collided with the Blacks Beach Tavern courtesy bus at the Hancock St intersection.

His organs were donated.