NEWS
A State Government offer made more than two weeks ago to reopen the closed Waltons walkway that is sending local traders broke has been rejected.
A media release by Brisbane Central MP Grace Grace on Tuesday 7 February and delivered to local traders said the Transport Department would offer to “license” the walkway and “conduct an urgent safety and fire audit” to check the walkway’s safety.
“If necessary, the department will undertake any minor repairs needed to ensure the pedestrian access is safe for public use,” Ms Grace said in the release.
But Ms Grace told The Independent this week: “The Government cannot take any action until the owner of the walkway agrees to it. We have a resolution on the table; whether it goes ahead is entirely in the owner’s court.”
But a source close to Waltons owner Mount Cathay Pty Ltd called the government move a “six-month band-aid” that had put negotiations between the parties “back by a week”.
The 20-metre section of walkway through the old Waltons building connecting the Valley Metro and Fortitude Valley Railway Station to the McWhirters centre via an airbridge over Wickham Street was closed on Sunday 11 December for maintenance work that has never been undertaken.
In the 11 weeks since, traders in the Happy Valley building that used to house the Chinese Club and neighbouring businesses in the McWhirters centre and beyond have seen their trade slashed by up to 90 per cent. Some business are set to close for good, as reported on our front page last issue.
Desperate traders had put a lot of hope in the State Government intervention, with one trader saying: “The State Government stepped in and was going to fix this but where are they now? We need help. Or was this just a political stunt ... again.” Ms Grace said the Waltons owner had a social responsibility to either find a way to reopen the walkway or to let the government take the license and reopen the walkway while negotiations continued
“The offer of a six-month licence gives time for a permanent solution to be found but there is nothing to stop the license being extended if a permanent solution takes longer.
“My understanding is that the government being in caretaker does not impact on the offer going forward immediately if accepted by the owners.
“The government’s offer stands to help resolve this issue in the best interests of the community.
“This is a private legal dispute but the impacts are being felt by the whole local community especially businesses. I urge the owner of the walkway to consider the negative impacts their actions are having on businesses.”
