Tuesday 29 January 2008

All Tanked up


We received this photo over the weekend that sums up a great deal of feeling out there in voter land.
As Mayor Byrne's bulldozers levelled the Tanks site on Collins Avenue for a car park, some folk installed a large banner at the demolition site.
It read "BYRNE PARADISE ... PUT UP A PARKING LOT".
The sign was up all day Sunday, before disappearing as mysteriously as it appeared.
There is obviously and understandably some lingering disquiet at what has happened with the destruction of the Botanic Gardens area in demolishing substantial areas of the vegetation for the new road and additional car parks.
Again, little community engagement occurred for these works.
Such "development" is symbolic of the current Council. Natural vegetation is ripped out to make room for larger roads and more vehicular access, and more buildings.
What happens when our population reaches 150,000? Will we add two more lanes through Collins Avenue?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just had Compass Research (Bill Cummings Group) phone me as part of a "phone poll" in the Cairns region. Someof the questions included issues for the coming council election and whether or not I would vote for Margaret Cochorane or Val Shier as Mayor.

Anonymous said...

Yep ... one grotty scungy rusty relic to the oil company storage facilities remembered only by the pre baby boomer generation ... if there are any pre baby boomers left.
What's the big deal Mickel Moor?
Who cares ...
I'll tell you what the rate payers do care about ...
and that's having somewhere to park when they visit the world renowned KB gardens at Collins Ave.
Otherwise they'll whinge like they do when they cannot find a park at the hospital'
Oh yeah, that's right, that's all KB's fault as well.
I mean he and he alone was responsible for siting that State Govt Institution in the middle of a suburban locality.
Wasn't he ???
Geeeez ... MM ... whinge whine whinge.
Get a life MM ... join the Unity Party and do something useful.

Anonymous said...

It is obvious that this blog is of great concern to the current Cairns City Council, and Big Kev. Factman shows the councils contempt to the people of Cairns by calling the Botanic Gardens the "KB Gardens". Weather it is tongue in cheek, or for real, it shows that they are in it for themselves and not the city of Cairns. But, KB has already said that if he got voted out, he would leave anyway.
They are obviously concerned about what is written here, making sure it doesnt scratch too close to the bone. Keep up the good work. Hopefully enough people will read this blog between now and election day and vote against the current council.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and Mike .. I just had a good look at your new banner, and you will have to look at updating it soon, as it is getting out of date. Some of the buildings in the foreground of the photo are now gone ..

Anonymous said...

Hey Paul ... KB's gardens does not mean ..."it shows that they are in it for themselves and not the city of Cairns".
That's typical MM/CairnsOne political crap.
It refers to KB's passionate interest in the botanical gardens and the "City in a Garden" concept.
It is Kevin Bryne that is driving this concept as it was also him who pushed the "gateways to Cairns" landscaping.
This concept is responsible for the ongoing beautification of the centre medians of Mulgrave and Sheridan Streets.
This program (not yet finished) has won praise from everywhere (except this blog site) as being unique and special to Cairns.
Yes, it was KB and a young landscape architect named Simon that put this project together.
When the works at Collins Ave are complete, we can all take a deep breath and admire the "city in a garden concept".
Well done KB. Most of us are proud to live in Cairns, "Australia's most livable city".

Anonymous said...

I agree with you factman .. the gateway to Cairns is very nice .. but .. Rocky did it about 15 years ago .. so it is nothing new and exciting .. altho it does look a dam side better than it did. So congrats to KB for doing something that every major city in Australia has done.
But, if the Mayor was so interested in, how did you put it?, "city in a garden concept", how come all the new developements around the city bulldoze every bloody tree in site?
Collins Avenue does look fantastic. Hopefully, when finished it will look even better, unless he allows Glencorp to have a go at doing something in there. But, we can only hope.
I, I did notice factman, you responded to my comments about the gardens, and not the comment about KB leaving town if voted out. Strange that.

Anonymous said...

Crikey Fuctman, is that a light at the end of the tunnel. or did Kev just open his mouth?

Anonymous said...

Yes, that is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I do believe it is just the Fuctman bending over!

Pity though that the same biolumenessence seems to emanate from between his ears.

Anonymous said...

Paul from Edmonton. I remember well one of the times when KB said he would leave town if voted out. It was at the 'Great Mayoral debate' a week or so before the 2000 council elections. Every mayoral candidate was asked that if they were to lose, would they stay in Cairns. 7 said yes, of course, they love Cairns and always want to live here regardless. KB was the only one who said no. That statement there and then turned me off him, and he has shown time and tie again since that he is only in ot for the power, not for the residents or for a deep love of the area, which should be an essential trait in a mayor of any town.