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Wednesday, 6 November 2013

More Comments On QVM Renewal


The City of Melbourne website is generating more input from people interested in the QVM renewal project. Here are some recent comments - 

Dandeegirl 04 Nov 2013, 10:23 Pm
I agree that the market should be more sustainable. There is a large roof area to harness both solar power and for water catchment. The idea of a park area within the market is great, a place people can have some time out from their busy day. The redevelopment is likely to be very disruptive (as was the recent redevelopment at dandenong) and so thorough consultation with existing traders is imperative. When I shop I like to go directly to what I need so I like the idea of like stalls being co-located, which should also increase competition amongst the stall holders. Finally, bring back the food vans. There are simply not enough for the size of this market and they are a feature of our traditional markets. Shops just don't work as well in the market environment. Food van areas at either end of the market would be ideal. And with a revamp, communal waste facilities can be installed to satisfy health requirements and waste water regulations. A trolley system would also be good; nothing as large as a supermarket trolley though. People buy more when it is easier to carry. I do believe car parking is essential. I would not want to have to carry heavy bags on a crowded tram (though I am in the outer se suburbs so wouldn't contemplate public transport for such a trip anyway).
Akovacs 04 Nov 2013, 03:17 Pm
A few years ago the Market tested and put on a few solar panels. With the dramatic reduction in solar panel cost since then the market should be a symbol of sustainability for the future & a profitable one at that. The design should incorporate a large photo voltaic array and aim to meet a large proportion of the facilities energy consumption. I look forward to seeing designs for the projects are there any concept plans available to the public? A focus on reusing the water which falls on the site would be an excellent design feature also.
BenK 03 Nov 2013, 02:45 Pm

I agree with what most people have said so far in terms of making sure we keep the market viable as a place to do "real" shopping. One of the things that I think makes the market "real" in this sense is the variety of food you can buy. By this I don't just mean different cheeses or different meats, but also the different varieties of the same foods. If you want to the crispest of tomatoes for a salad, you can buy those at the market. But if you want some over-ripe tomatoes for a tomato sauce you can buy those too. I would hate for the market to lose this "realness" and become only a seller of "premium" foods.

I can see where Market Trader is coming from in terms of the need for car spaces, but I don't really agree with her/him. As a resident of the municipality I would like to see the Council do everything it can to encourage people to use public transport in order to reduce congestion and pollution within the municipality. There are four tram routes that go past the market and two nearby train stations, and anything you can fit into a market trolley you can take with you on the tram or train. Anyway, road congestion is only going to get worse as the city's population increases, so it may not be sustainable to rely on car traffic for the market's future viability.

As others have said, some later trading hours would be good.

Also, like others making comments, I think that the non-food section of the market needs looking at. As has been said, more variety would be good. I'd like to see some space given over to stalls for makers of quality designer crafts/clothes. There's a bit of a trend for pop-up shops these days and maybe the market can tap into this by having cheap, flexible space available for young crafty types to take a low-risk punt on setting up shop.

Lastly, I agree with kellyhertzog that the market revamp would be a great opportunity to green up the market, both in terms of having more green space and incorporating environmentally friendly infrastructure/programs.