NEWS
A meeting earlier this week between Chinatown Mall traders and City Council officials has failed to dampen growing concerns by local businesses over ongoing issues that have plagued the mall since its multi-million dollar makeover.
Traders are becoming increasing upset over:
• Cars being driven through the mall proper, right under the central grand arch because of the new mall’s poor design
• Accidents involving pedestrians, paticularly tourists, who are even unaware of the two designated roadways in and out of the Chinatown carpark.
• Declining business patronage
• A sub-standard Chinese New Year celebrations amid allegations of little to no promotions funding to herald in the Year of the Rabbit; and
•General lack of promotion by council for mall activities.
Chairman of the Chinatown Committee, Chiu-Hing Chan and other Chinatown traders met with Brisbane City Council staff on Tuesday, who offered to look at the traffic code but offered no timeline for improvements.
“This is red tape at its finest,” Mr Chan said. “It is ridiculous it would take this long, and we still have no solid commitment from Brisbane City Council to permanently fix this problem. People are hurting and there are simple solutions,” Mr Chan said.
A Chinese tourist was reportedly run over by a vehicle in the Chinatown mall last week, just days after traders had again aired concerns raised since last year over pedestrian safety.
“I have time and time again highlighted this issue with Brisbane City Council and within days the exact accident I warned against has occurred,” Mr Chan said.
Local businesses had criticised the Lord Mayor’s mall representative for over a year for failing to taking permanent action on the safety issues in Chinatown.
“It is simply confusing. There are no clear line markers painted on the drive way or visible speed limit signs. “The Chinatown Committee and even council’s own Valley Mall Advisory Board have expressed concern over pavements colour and material.”
Mr Chan said the city council have been aware about the many safety issues since last February, and the Chinatown Committee had again reminded Brisbane City Council last October of the need for safety barriers but no action has been taken.
Labor’s Lord Mayoral candidate Mr Ray Smith said it was obvious there was a clear conflict between motorists and pedestrians in the two driveways running through the mall to the Chinatown Carpark.
“This mall is dangerous and it needs to be fixed now,” he said. “I have spoken to Chinatown traders who have witnessed many near misses and last week there was an accident involving a tourist.
“The Lord Mayor spent more than $12 million of ratepayers’ hard-earned money on this mall last year. You’d think he could have made the mall a safe place to walk.”
He said local traders had also called for the contract for Chinese New Year and Autumn Moon Festival to be axed. “There’s a lot of bad Feng Shui in Chinatown,” Mr Smith said. “I’ve met with traders who are very bitter about the poor communications and promotion of Chinatown during its signature event, Chinese New Year. The total sponsorship council was able to achieve was less than $4000. Many traders didn’t even have programs.
“This is after all the disruption that businesses had to put up with during 12 months of construction in Chinatown. The traders are paying around $200,000 a year in depreciation for the mall, on top of a levy for promotion and maintenance. They’re paying through the nose, but they’re getting kicked in the backside.”
Mr Smith’s comments come after the Chinese Australia General Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Lord Mayor asking for the mall’s tender not to be renewed to eTranslate.
• This story came in very close to press time and The Independent was unable to obtain comment from the Lord Mayor’s Office on these issues. Those responses will be sought and published on the Indie’s website and in our next hardcopy issue on 16 March.
