“You get rid of a car, you get rid of a customer”: Parklet plan causes trader outrage

Traders are up in arms at a University of Tasmania plan for a parklet in Hobart’s CBD, labelling the proposal a “terrible” and “disastrous” idea. HAVE YOUR SAY >>

MORE business owners have spoken about their concerns around plans for a new parklet on Melville Street, with one operator claiming he had already been hit by what he felt was a takeover of the city by the University of Tasmania.

McCann’s Model World owner Shane Bastick said he had been forced to move his business when the University of Tasmania bought the building it was in.

“It was January 2018, my landlord came to me and said he’d been offered a massive amount for his property and he had to sell,” Mr Bastick said.

“We left the day they took ownership because we didn’t want to be pushed out.”

The store has been running since 1979, initially located inside McCanns Music, before moving next door in 1991.

Mr Bastick took ownership in 2008 and said he would not have moved if he did not have to.

“We knew they didn’t buy it to keep anyone in there,” he said.

“We found out quite early it was going to be a walkway so we knew we weren’t going to be able to stay.

“We probably spent at least $80k and that was doing a lot by myself to save money.”

McCann’s Model World owner Shane Bastick is worried UTAS’s current plans will once again affect his business. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Now he’s worried about the impact of the proposed new parkland on his business.

“The CBD, central business district, that’s for administration, medical, retail – it doesn’t stand for a glorified high school with parklands around everywhere,” he said.

Mr Bastick feared the University was “taking over” the CBD.

“We’re against this push to buy more of the town,” Mr Bastick said.

“The uni are telling the council what they want and the council are saying ‘how high do you want us to jump?’”

Sheepskin and Opal World manager Allyca Williams said she found out about the Melville St parklet plan only on Friday from other business operators.

“I think it’s a terrible idea, it’s going to stop people from coming to our store,” Ms Williams said.

“It will affect all businesses along this street.”

Ms Williams said there would be nowhere on the street for customers to park.

“There’s limited parking already outside of our shop,” she said.

“Parking will be taken by uni students and where are our customers going to park?”

Co-owner of the Knife Shop Michael Robinson believed the plan would be “disastrous” for the city.

“Our main concern is the blocking off of Melville Street,” Mr Robinson said.

“The blocking of that road will increase traffic on Brisbane St.”

Like many other business owners, Mr Robinson was concerned about the accessibility of his business to customers and delivery trucks.

And similar to Mr Bastick, he was also worried about the University “taking over”.

“They took the Midcity Hotel out of the visitor market and made it student accommodation, they bought the Fountainside,” he said

“They’ve virtually got two whole blocks in the city at the moment.

“They just seem to be buying up real estate left, right and centre.”

An artist’s impression of the new parklet in Melville St. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Robinson he said he and many others felt fed up.

“It appears as though what the uni wants, the uni gets and nobody can stop this move,” he said.

“We’ll be putting in a representation to the council, while we can put a representation in, what are the chances of it getting anywhere?”

The City of Hobart said representations could be made until November 23.

A University of Tasmania spokesman confirmed a representative spoke to business operators on Wednesday.

“The University has engaged with traders and other stakeholders in the Midtown precinct over the period that proposals were being developed for an inner-city campus,” the spokesman said.

“We will continue to do so over the life of the project.

“When we became aware of specific trader concerns about the parklet on Melville Street, we committed to engage further, which is what we’ve been doing today.

“Our goal is to develop a university campus which supports the city – including small business and retail – and builds upon the qualities people find so special about it now.”

Mr Robinson said his concerns remained.

“They’ve called it a temporary parklet, I don’t class five years as temporary,” he said.

‘Save Melville Street from UTAS’: Traders see red

Business owners have been left frustrated over plans for a parklet on Melville Street, with fears it will result in a drop in business in the area.

A group of more than 30 business owners and operators are against the proposal, the development application of which is currently open for representations.

The DA, lodged by the University of Tasmania, involves closing one lane of traffic to make way for the parklet, which includes planters, street furniture, power connections and lighting.

Denis McLoughlin and CBD traders, at Easy Sew, cnr of Melville St and Elizabeth st. Picture Eddie Safarik

The university hopes to introduce more green space to the CBD as part of its masterplan to move its campus from Sandy Bay to the city.

CBD property owner Denis McLoughlin said many feared the parklet would come at the expense of on street parking spots.

“They’re taking 18 car parks out of Melville St,” Mr McLoughlin said.

“This will have a flow on effect for every shop in the CBD.

“Other than one owner, everybody in every shop we’ve been to hadn’t heard about it, hadn’t been consulted and are not happy they’re going to lose their important street lane.”

The design plans for Melville St.

Mr McLoughlin believed there was a plan to reduce the number of cars in the CBD.

“They’re on an agenda to get rid of cars out of the city, but cars are people,” he said.

“Every time you get rid of a car in the city, you get rid of a customer in the city.”

A parklet was installed on Elizabeth Street at Midtown, but Mr McLoughlin had doubts about the benefits.

“That’s cost the local businesses here six on-street car parks,” he said.

“They’re great for the night time eateries but all day they sit empty, they’re usually only used by smokers.

“They’re usually strewn with cigarette butts and they smell like an ashtray.”

Country Women’s Association gift shop manager Johanna Warren said parklets on Elizabeth Street had already caused problems.

CWA gift shop manager Johanna Warren. Picture Chris Kidd

“We’ve already noticed a decline in the city since the dining decks have been installed,” Ms Warren said.

“We just don’t see the people we used to see on a regular basis.

“We’ve got one lovely couple that’ve been coming to us for fifty odd years and they’ve stopped because they just cannot get a park outside.

“Even our own people can’t get near the shop to do their deliveries, they have to go round into the car park.”

Ms Warren predicted more spontaneous shoppers would be less inclined to pop in.

“People come to us, they’re driving past on their way to work, they see bunches of flowers, they get a park, they come in and buy them, they get a cake at the same time,” she said.

“Council want them to go around into the carpark, get a ticket, walk back to their car, put a ticket on their car, then come to the shop.

“It’s not going to happen.”

Ms Warren feared for the future of the business.

“The Country Women’s Association gift shop has been here for 79 years,” Ms Warren said.

“If this goes ahead we don’t think we’ll last.”

Grant McCarthy, the owner of Elizabeth St store Easy Sew, said many customers who visited the store needed to be able to easily access their vehicles.

“We’ve got a demographic of customers that fall into the middle aged, elderly category,” Mr McCarthy said.

Grant McCarthy owner of the building and business Easy Sew. Picture Eddie Safarik

“They find it harder to walk distances carrying things.

He said a key part of the business was sewing machine maintenance and repair and that the machines were too heavy to carry for longer distances.

“You get a lot of the machines that will go from 12 to 20 kilos,” he said.

Mr McCarthy was disappointed in the consultation process.

“I’ve actually had a university rep come in here and he basically said we’re putting a park at the end, it’ll be up the road and that was it,” he said.

He was concerned the university would install more parklets in the future.

“When we read a bit further in the proposal, they’re replicating it further on this street (Melville Street, outside Easy Sew) down the track as well,” Mr McCarthy said.

“We’ll eventually be left with four of five spots across four streets.”

A spokeswoman for the City of Hobart said representations can be made until November 23.

A University of Tasmania spokesman said it had consulted a range of stakeholders on the proposal.

“We’ve consulted publicly on the temporary parklet proposal with a range of stakeholders including mid-town traders, immediate neighbours and nearby emergency services,” the spokesman said.

“The concept is for a temporary, reversible project that aims to deliver some of what people told us they wanted in the city – more greenery, activation and street furniture.

“We understand and respect that people might have reservations and we will be looking to speak with concerned traders in coming days.

“We want to be sure the impact we have on the city is a positive one and will continue to consult.”

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