Ocean St precinct not alone on assault issues

CLOSING the street to traffic for public safety on weekends is a good first step, but traders at this nightclub precinct also want lighting, public toilets

New posters put out by Laurel Place.

OCEAN Street venue owners want women to know they are welcome and their protection is paramount, after reports of sexual violence in the precinct.

Bollards being installed at Ocean St this month are the first of what Ocean St Precinct Association hopes will be a series of infrastructure initiatives to improve safety for people enjoying the nightclub hotspot.

The street's closure to vehicles in its busiest periods on Friday and Saturday nights was first discussed in 2014, but from June 17 police will be able to use them at their discretion.

It's a win for public safety, but much more needs to be done, association president Scott Hoskins said.

Venue owners would be raising awareness with posters (pictured) being printed by specialist sexual assault counselling service Laurel Place.

But more lighting for streets, alleyways and carparks in and around the precinct is also needed, as is a well-lit, easily accessible public toilet block and increased CCTV, he said.

With construction happening at the Duporth Ave end of Ocean St, and some badly lit carparks used as thoroughfares in the early hours of the morning, there were some "dark spots that created opportunity for people that have got bad intentions", Mr Hoskins said.

If there are sex predators in the area, they would most likely be among a crowd of people who are excluded from entering venues every weekend because they're already too intoxicated when they arrive, Mr Hoskins said.

"On a Friday or Saturday night there is a portion of people who come to the precinct and then get refused entry at all venues, and actually never enter a venue, but they're still within the precinct," he said.

Sunshine Coast Safe Night Out Precinct president Alex Johns said the majority of incidents crowd controllers had to deal with involved people who were refused entry.

"Once they're refused from all the venues, ... they can go anywhere really...they're potentially the ones giving us grief."

Push for toilets, more lighting

Sunshine Coast Council was planning to conduct a trial of portable toilets at the precinct, but a location hadn't yet been identified as suitable, Ocean St Precinct Association president Scott Hoskins said.

"Councillor O'Pray has said, 'well, I'm prepared to do a trial on some portable toilets, but we can't come to an agreement about where they should be'," he said.

Permanent toilets were needed in the long term, Mr Hoskins said, as there was nothing to cater for people who were outside of venues after the Big Top Shopping Centre toilets closed at 1am.

SAFETY FIRST: Solbar Group general manager Hayley Bridger with Sunshine Coast Superintendent Darryl Johnson and Ocean St Precinct Association Scott Hoskins at a press conference on Ocean St on June 6, 2019. Picture: Nicky Moffat

He said private landowners were also taking the initiative and paying for increased lighting and CCTV on their buildings.

Mr Johns said there were safety mechanisms at Ocean St that at-risk people may not be aware of.

Mr Johns is co-owner of the Solbar Group, which includes licensed venues Solbar, Old Soul, La Cantina and The Piano Bar.

"We don't hire big burly security guards...we want them to be approachable," he said.

"Our venue teams ...we roster females so that females are available to be able to deal with any incidents and so our security doesn't have to go into female bathrooms."

Mr Johns said the Safe Night Out Street Angels, also known as Smurfs were "amazing" and provided help and medical assistance to many people every weekend.

"I think what they do is definitely understated," he said.

He said there's usually 10 and sometimes up to 16 police officers patrolling the precinct on Friday and Saturday nights.

"Ocean St is probably the safest place you can be," Mr Johns said. "It's when you start getting into the back areas.

"Inside the venues is a step safer again.

"That level of awareness is something that we need to get out there. Stay where you can see police."

Solbar Group general manager Hayley Bridger said it had taken a long time for an agreement about bollards being permanently installed to be reached, but the initiative would improve street safety.

She said she would "definitely prefer" there were no incidents of sexual assaults, but she personally felt safe in the area and her 80 staff had not reported concerns.

"We want everyone to come out and have a safe night and to go home safely to their family," she said.

"But as far as a safe place to go out...I don't think there's a safer place than Ocean St."

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson confirmed the removable bollards being installed on Ocean St would be operated by police, to block traffic at their discretion on Friday and Saturday nights.

The spokesperson advised there were no immediate plans to build public toilets on Ocean St.

"Council designs and constructs its public amenities in accordance with the Queensland Government's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles, which require the location of public amenities to have good passive surveillance and other safety measures.

"There is currently no obvious appropriate location in Ocean Street for such a building."

"Council will however, continue to work closely with QPS and the Safe Night Out Precinct committee in support of community safety in this area."

For 24-hour domestic and sexual violence support call the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800737732.

Originally published as Ocean St precinct not alone on assault issues