Thursday 5 May 2011

Council hears no evil

: Community feedback is being heard via official channels only, a source said.

by Mat Churchill

Public feedback on the Council's proposed lagoon location is being ignored if it has been received via media outlets, a reliable source close to the project has said.

In a recent The Newsport article, around 60 people expressed their views in unambiguous fashion, but despite their passion these reader comments appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

The source said that at a Waterfront Development Committee meeting held on Friday 29 April, a Council spokesperson had stated that only comments made through formal Community Consultaion channels ie. phone surveys and comments received at the Council's shop front in Macrossan Street, would be taken into account.

"(It's a) sham consultation process. They (Council) have presented their views and talked down other options. They do not want their minds changed."

It is also believed that prominent local architect Gary Hunt's resignation had not yet been accepted by the Waterfront Development Committee, and "there are moves to get him back."

Have your say!

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Joe , 07-05-11 00:26:

As a tourist, I think it would be a shame to build the lagoon at Rex Smeal Park. The point is what the tourists remember most about Port Douglas. It's such a beautiful spot and is picture perfect, straight off a postcard and such a great place to sit and watch the sunset or have a picnic. It would ruin the whole landscape and be detrimental to the future of St Mary's Church; do you really want to attend a wedding, funeral or sunday mass with people yelling and carrying on by the pool? After speaking to a few of the locals (and that's who the council should be listening to), it would be heart-breaking for them to have to see such natural beauty destroyed by a swimming pool. Port Douglas has many alternative sites that could accommodate quite easily and would make much more sense than Rex Smeal Park. Council needs to stop thinking about dollars and make the right decision!

Josh McConnell , 05-05-11 13:50:

I am in the same boat as Jeff,thinking that 'carpark' site was the best and also mentioned that on the council phone survey they did last week. I now wish that the survey people would ring back as I now know alot more of the right information and my opinion has now changed and not for what the council is trying to push forward.

Keithea Schaedler, 05-05-11 12:35:

This is classic! We're commenting here, knowing that Cairns Regional Council will take no notice of those comments!
This sham consultation process is a case of having the answer, then "asking" the question.
I do not support the proposed lagoon pool location by St Mary's, BTW.

Jeff Gale, 05-05-11 09:58:

Yes I was a believer that the 'carkpark' site was a good compromise location until I discovered a whole lot of mis-information is floating around on the other alternative sites and their supposed limitation, the comparison to Airlie Beach Lagoon and that this site would provide an uninterrupted view north (what is the mound between the lagoon and the inlet). After a discussion in the park with Gary Hunt I now do not support this site or the landscape plan accompanying it. Put it where Gary, the architect, Doug the Tourism Marketing advisor and 'the smart people' of Port Douglas say it should go so a wotrld class facility is created and not just a 'locals' swimming pool.