Friday 9 September 2011

Mystery Plans For QVM

A television reporter from the ABC contacted Trader Representatives today asking if we had been consulted about the latest plans for the QVM which had recently been passed by the Melbourne City Council. Apparently the reporter felt that the plans would have a significant impact on the market's operation.

Our knowledge of significant plans for the market is limited to the Lord Mayor's plan to beautify the Queen St. mall and return the market to its No.1 icon status. There was recent publicity about Cr. Peter Clarkson's proposal to construct an apartment building/carparking complex on the site of the current carpark and we know there have been longer term plans to improve the market's carpark facilities and plenty of publicity about how that would impact on the cemetary located at the site. We have not been consulted on any specific plans.

Perhaps at this point we should define "consult" because the QVM has sought ideas from traders through the Trader Focus Groups on how the market might be improved. In our view a consultation requires discussion on specific proposals that the QVM intends introducing.

"Where there is smoke, there is fire" and if the ABC's interest is not enough perhaps we should just mention that what has been described as an "archeological dig" was commenced today in the carpark. The ABC television crew conducted some interviews in the market and we can expect some news coverage in the coming few days.

UPDATE 10/9/2011 - The carpark dig is being conducted by Alpha Archeology Pty.Ltd.