Gordon business owners speak out over Ku-ring-gai Council’s $3.6 million town centre upgrade

Struggling traders are speaking out over a costly upgrade of a north shore town centre, saying the multimillion-dollar project is ‘ugly’ and has become a ‘turn off’ for customers.

Struggling traders are speaking out over a costly upgrade of a north shore town centre, saying the multimillion-dollar project is “ugly” and has left customers giving the area a wide berth.

Ku-ring-gai Council is facing backlash over its $3.6m upgrade of the St Johns Ave retail strip in Gordon which involved replacing carparking spaces with widened footpaths, outdoor dining areas and new paving.

A key focus of the project was aimed at turning the shopping precinct into a vibrant pedestrian-friendly “eat street” destination.

But after 13 months of construction works, traders on the street say the project’s intention of enticing shoppers to Gordon had created the opposite effect due to loss of carparking spaces.

Several business owners say the outdoor eating areas created as part of the project are also seldom used.

A photo of the outdoor dining areas

A petition signed by 164 business owners and community members has now called on the council to “work with residents to improve the upgrades”.

“The residents of the community deserve a vibrant, engaging casual outdoor dining space not the dull coffee cages, poor landscaping and traffic chaos now in place as a result of poor design and lack of consultation with key stakeholders,” the petition states.

Business owners say the project is a turn-off for customers.

Arjun Jehra, owner of The Chicken Theory on St Johns Ave, said his trade had halved due to the council’s upgrade.

“There were carparking spots they’ve made into dining areas and everyone is complaining they can’t find anywhere to park because all the other carparks in Gordon are full,” he said.

“Most of the restaurants are take away shops so everyone grabs food to go and it’s rare to see anyone actually use the seating.

“They’ve also put in the side barriers and fencing around the seating which look very ugly and aren’t welcoming for people.

The project was completed in August.

“It took one and a half years to build and all it’s done is turn people away.”

Across the road, Ben Larsen, who runs the Pedal Plus bike shop, said the impact of the lengthy upgrade works had caused disruptions for traders with at least three shops closing their doors during the construction period.

“It had a significant impact on my turnover and we were one of the lesser affected businesses,” he said.

“Because the road’s been changed, the traffic in the morning is berserk and it’s an inconvenience for customers because they want to be able to park in front of the shops.

“If the intent was to create an ‘eat street’, it happened at huge cost, huge business expense with very little benefit.

“We don’t know how it took almost 18 months and $3m to upgrade a 50-60m section of road.

“It’s had a diabolical effect on business and in terms of legacy going forward, I see it as being largely a negative legacy.”

An artist impression of the upgrade, released by the council during planning stages.

The council, in a statement, said council staff had visited businesses to discuss the project before works commenced.

“Business owners were made aware of the proposed removal of car spaces during both rounds of consultation,” a council spokeswoman said

“The intention of removing the car spaces was to reduce traffic congestion and encourage better use of the public space.

“Generally business owners and residents have been very supportive of the upgrade.”

The petition calls for the council to consider further works to “fix” the street, stating “with a few improvements it could be a fantastic facility for the community”.

The council’s plans for the upgrade back in 2019 show the aim of the project was to transform St Johns Ave into a “showcase” destination for the town centre.

“The upgrade may trigger renewed interest in the area and provide a community space which does not currently exist in Gordon,” the plans for the project state.