LAST FRIDAY morning, local media, business owners and residents gathered for the opening of the much-anticipated Nicholas Street Precinct, but while Ipswich City Council was represented by several of its members, those who were conspicuously absent seemed to indicate a divided council is governing this city.
In attendance were Mayor Teresa Harding, and Councillors Marnie Doyle, Pye Augustine and Andrew Antoniolli.
Among those absent was newly elected Cr David Martin, with his ridicule of the precinct project a foundation of his failed mayoralty campaign in March, his second attempt to take the top job.
Also missing on Friday were Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic and Cr Paul Tully – all three had rsvp’d to indicate they would be there, but did not attend what was being sold as the “turning point of the city” and the “greatest revitalisation of the city’s heart in over three decades”.
Also absent was Cr Jacob Madsen, who had advised that he would instead be attending a Remembrance Day event, and Cr Jim Madden who was not able to attend.
Local Ipswich News contacted Cr Jonic and Cr Tully, who both responded that they were required elsewhere with family commitments.
Local Ipswich News received an email from Cr Martin’s office explaining that due to a miscommunication, his attendance had been confirmed, when in fact, it clashed with another appointment.
Cr Tully said that given the correct promotion, the new cinema and entertainment precinct would bring life back into the CBD.
“Daytime mall usage is up and now we must encourage people into the mall at night,” he said.
“With the right marketing, we can attract thousands of extra visitors to our city which is only a 20-minute drive from Brisbane’s western suburbs.”
The day after the opening, Local Ipswich News spoke with people along Nicholas St and although many said the venue looked potentially attractive to visitors, there was no clear indication of a majority like or dislike of the revamped precinct.
At the opening, Mayor Teresa Harding said this marked the next phase of economic growth for Ipswich and she made a bold prediction regarding the precinct’s expected impact on the local economy.
“The Nicholas Street Precinct is estimated to directly contribute nearly $1.2 billion to the Ipswich economy between 2020 and 2032 and expected to create 480 new city centre jobs for the people of Ipswich,” Mayor Harding said.
She said the “Top of Town” businesses had been considered in the design and construction of the precinct, although visitors noted there was no thoroughfare or connection between the two.
Opinions varied on whether the precinct will in fact work for the betterment of the local economy, a non-local PR firm was given the task of organising the long overdue opening and selling it as a success story.
With councillors seemingly split on its future, it sets the stage for a powder keg of an Ordinary Council Meeting on November 28.
Whatever the outcome, it would be advantageous to residents for council to work through current tensions and get back to the task they were elected to do.
