Here is a letter from a trader that was headed "A New Car Park Proposal" but which in fact covers a number of possibilities for renewal. We congratulate Lance on a well thought through contribution to the renewal debate.
"Here
I am, just a market trader, but l think I have a great suggestion for our car
park issues.
A
few facts that we need to look at:
Our
current market site was a cemetery, and not all the grave sites have been
removed, and this includes from Franklin Street all the way across to A shed,
so any construction in these areas will find graves, that will need to be
relocated.
Now
why do I bring this up. Well its to do with one of the main reasons behind why
the proposed new car park is going under A, B & C sheds and cannot be built
on the current location. That is that the grave sites can not be disturbed in
the car park. Now this raises the questions, about the other gravesites now
being disturbed. Franklin street graves for the apartments, the car park graves
for the realignment of Dudley and Franklin streets, and of course the graves
under A, B & C sheds.
Why
don’t we look at the following idea, based on the premise that we need the
following things:
A
new car park
More
apartments
More
Green Space
Better
facilities for traders and visitors
Multipurpose
uses
Ok
so here goes, and l hope you can all follow me here.
Lets
have a 3 or 4 level multi-story car park that is located over our existing car
park and extends out over Franklin street. Franklin Street can then be
realigned to meet up with Dudley street underneath our car park. Slip lanes can
be added for both directions to allow direct access to and from the car park.
If
the CoM asks one of the property developers to pay for this car park to be
built, they can allow them to build 4 high rise apartment blocks above the car
park, on each corner, allowing an open space area in the middle, creating a
central park area, of green space, shops, cafes. The
parking for the apartments will also need to be added to the spaces that are
dedicated to the market, so additional levels maybe required, or the developer
could just include these in the lower few levels of each apartment block.
The
road level of the car park could have shops located within it, to work as a
lead into the market area. Ramps could be built from the market to the roof top
garden space of the car park, to allow access directly to it, if visitors did
not wish to use the lifts. These ramps could be lined with cafes and retail
outlets.
The
look of the car park could easily be disguised by making it look like part of
the apartment complex, through enclosing it.
The
CoM could then invest money into much needed upgrades of the market. Lets face
it, we need to improve a number of things.
The
Queen street toilet block needs to have a coverage back to L – K sheds, so you
do not have to walk in the wind and the rain to use them, or to line up in the
wind or rain at the ATM’s.
We
need to make the lower area and the upper area of the market one. This can be
done by closing Queen St between Therry St and Victoria St, but this also needs
to then become a covered multi purpose space. It could be used for live bands,
cooking demonstrations, school holiday activities, Christmas, Easter, Melbourne
Cup, and all the big events that take place in Melbourne. A large screen could
be installed along with a permanent stage area.
Power
needs to be supplied to all stalls, and water and sewerage facilities to the
food areas.
We
need to put roofs between the sheds, to reduce the weather impacts on our
traders and visitors, thus removing the look of the torn and ripped tarps we
are expected to replace every time a gust of wind tears them, adding further
costs to running our businesses. I also feel that we need to enclose the outer
boarder of the market, to reduce the wind and rain impacts on our traders and
visitors. We could enclose this via large clear panels that are retractable at
Peel St end of the sheds to allow vehicle access, with other retractable
locations in Queen St and Victoria St. We can then have designated visitor
access points located around the market. This would then provide a more
structured method for visitors to enter and exit the market, and be able to
distinguish the locations better, rather than entering anywhere around the
market precinct.
We
need to add a food court location that is actually centrally located to the
upper area of the market, not down at the corner of Queen & Victoria
Street. I propose that F shed is converted to that, with one side of E shed
becoming tables and chairs allowing visitors plenty of space to sit and relax,
eat drink and catch up.
I
am sure that many traders will not agree with my ideas, but that is the great
thing about debate, and after all, it is just my opinion."
Have Your Say - click here.
COMMENTS:
12/05/2014 19:46:29 response to Lance "How pleasing to read Lances idea. A market trader with such great , thoughtful ideas. totally agree with him, and applaud him " andrew g.
13/05/2014 20:58:33 Car Park Dilemma "Well said Lance, how great to hear thoughts of one of the younger traders, because he is the future of the market. I really hope management reads this because I believe this ticks all the boxes." Drita McLennan