Glenorchy residents determined to put former council woes behind them

THE past woes of Glenorchy have been well documented, but those who love the rapidly growing city have high hopes for its future.

THE past woes of Glenorchy have been well documented, but those who love the rapidly growing city have high hopes for its future.

Ratepayers have finally been told just how dysfunctional their city council was, with the release this week of the long-awaited Board of Inquiry final report.

Tabled in State Parliament by Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein, the report — which cost ratepayers more than $1 million — painted a scathing picture of what has happened at the council since the October 2014 elections.

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Glenorchy residents have talked about the effects of the poor leadership and how they now finally had something to look forward to.

Bryan Denne, a Glenorchy resident since 1951, and says the past few years have taken a toll on the community.

“We have never seens anything so bad like this before,” he said.

“We have resembled chaos for the past couple of years, people are celebrating what [Peter] Gutwein has done and we can now start again.”

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Despite the troubles, Glenorchy residents generally are ready to make their city great again.

Mona and the success it has brought has started the transformation of the area.

But locals say the potential is nowhere near being reached.

From left, Eleanor Downes from the Moonah Arts Centre, St Albi’s manager Lucy Baker, community volunteer Christine Watson, and Year 11 student Eloise Kerstan. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Just a few years ago, opening an up-market restaurant in a Moonah warehouse would have been considered crazy.

But St Albi’s manager Lucy Baker said the nearly two years since the restaurant has opened has showed just how much the northern suburbs have grown — and how much it can continue to do so.

“It was such a diamond in the rough,” she said.

“There’s just so much potential in the northern suburbs, especially if we got light rail – that would just take things to the next level.

“A lot of young people and young families are moving out here and it’s just transformed the place ... it’s just a melting pot of culture and I just feel like I can do a lot in one day because everything is so close.

“The sun is always shining in Moonah.”

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It isn’t just the food scene that is burgeoning in the northern suburbs.

Moonah Arts Centre co-ordinator Eleanor Downes said the area was experiencing incredible growth.

“There is an awful lot going on in terms of cultural events,” she said.

”I think the place is becoming quite trendy.

“People really want to live here and that’s great, they are adding so much to it.”

Glenorchy residents, from left, Maree Bongard, Dylan Wright, Ali Watson, Bryan Denne and Brodie McCrossan. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

All of this gives the youth of the area like Eloise Kerstan, who has just finished Year 11 at Guilford Young, hope for the future of Glenorchy.

“It’s got a bit of a bad rap but living here all my life it’s just so diverse, it’s just an easy place to live,” she said.

“There’s just so many places that you can explore.

“My friends and myself like to be creative as well, we love to write and I feel like there are a lot of opportunities for us in Glenorchy at the moment.

“I just think it has a bright future.”

Community volunteer Christine Watson agreed that people were looking forward to the future.

“Everybody I speak to is really excited about the potential for the area,” she said.

“It’s so multicultural, there’s just so much unique parts in the community, you just don’t get that in other locations ... it’s wonderful.”

“We have grown so much already but I believe there is more to come.”