Friday 21 March 2008

Letter to the Editor

CairnsBlog always welcomes your letters... especially in this post-election period, whilst the Ed is recuperating!


  • "CBD needs to be Jazzed up" Cairns Post March 20th P13.

    Desley Boyle's comments really typify the political bullshit we are constantly being fed by our so called local representatives.

    Our CBD is in fact already stuffed up by a combination of her State Government and development policies that have destroyed the ambiance and colonial charm of Cairns.

    No wonder tourists who might want to experience live music or mix with the locals and explore our history are leaving in droves. The casino over development, destruction of local clubs and institutions such as the Game Fishing Club, Masonic Club, Johnos blues Bar, Tawnys Restaurant, Boat launching ramps and thousands of once free car parks,not to mention the views of Trinity Inlet could be some of the major reasons locals are avoiding the city and tourists too obviously.

    Of course it is not even going to end there. The impending loss of our greatest living heritage building "The Aquatic" (Cairns Yacht Club) and its replacement by a further possible eight High Rise apartments, will complete the destruction of the Wharf St district.

    Desley Boyle's dismissal of the thousands of locals who wished to see "The Aquatic" saved as a historic music and dance venue will find that the real truth is the need for more revenue for Brisbane as the driving force for the destruction of our once relaxed and laid back city life style, with not a word from Desley Boyle about our real Aussie local heritage and history.

    Singapore known as a major tourist destination decided to demolish the historic and famous Bugis St district in the 70,s, cost to their tourism was a drop of over 30% in visitors as transit and destination travellers avoided the place.

    Much the same will probably happen for Cairns, if not already. But I guess Desley Boyle will be out there putting out more media babble about new ways to improve our falling tourism.

    Bob Rendall,
    Bayview

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob Rendall is correct. The uniqueness of Cairns is gone and what is in process is a replica of so many tourist cities around the world. I rarely venture into the CBD as I find the forlorn, abandoned shabbiness of it just too much to bear.

Anonymous said...

What, reprinting letters from the organ of the anti-christ now?
Must be a quiet news day.
Besides, I thought The Cairns Post was so pro-development and pro-KB that a letter to the editor that had been through its supposed censoring system would never be suitable for an unbiased source of reliable information such as this blog.

Anonymous said...

The CBD deserves to be a sterile area of entertainment from musicians.
In the seven years I have been President, musicians have been treated with contempt from the Cairns City Council and in particular Kevin Byrne. Cairns has more top quality musicians per square metre than any other place in Queensland, yet when some event is considered organisers look at importing people from South. Then they expect the local musicians to fill the gap till the next show at prices one pays a cleaner. Cairns City has missed out on thousands of cultural grant dollars that has been allocated to other places like Mackay and Townsville.
Fun in the Sun was high jacked to become “stuck in the muck”. Instead of showcasing music it has become disjointed and uninteresting. The “feel” of Mardi Gras New Orleans” is locked up in the minds of musicians. The 50 musician members of the Jazz Club has a thousand of years of collective experience, we are the experts, yet have not been consulted once in my seven years. I ran the only decent Jazz Festivals in this City and the Club raise its own funds unaided.
The Jazz Club made submissions on the concrete white elephant “Sound Shell”on the corner of Spence and the Esplanade. We said don’t build it there and don’t build it like that anyway. (I wish the new Council would see it demolished and build a musicians friendly one over near the Pier facing North West. “Sunset Jazz is the theme.” (Byrne originally wanted a Rotunda, that’s where all his ides should have been shoved) The City Place Soundshell was one of the best in the country, replaced by a useless mushroom thing designed by an architect who wouldn’t know a Piccolo from a Baritone Saxophone. Byrne turned City Place into a furnace, you can fry eggs on the metal seats. In the absence of Historical Buildings we desperately need a Museum. Except for the Casino, all the decent musicians have left the CBD. Tourism North Queensland along with Kevin Byrne, The State Government and the Cairns Port Authority all voted against the Heritage listing of the 100 year old Aquatic Club House, (a beacon for Tourists and Musicians). Soon to be demolished.
The Cairns Jazz Club leaves the Port Authority Land and CBD in two weeks. The CBD is not a person, it is like some giant concrete Elephant has left piles of his do do to set there. It’s a monument to the people who allowed it to happen. I can’t see how Desley Boyle can exhort life into something that dead. But while the 8 million dollar Cairns Yacht Club doesn’t have the charm, charisma or 100 year History of the 100 year old Aquatic, people might set out fro Melbourne or Perth, just to see it do you think?.. The light I can see at the end of the tunnel could be Val Schier and with the cooperation of our 50 Jazz Musicians and those in our Country & Weston and Rock & Roll Musos, we may be able to help turn things around.
Be aware that we won’t come cheap; if Desley can find 8 million for Elephant chaff then the Government can find it for good entertainment.
After all Jazz is King, Jazz is the thing, that folks dig most. (Louise Armstrong in New Orleans.) There is a Jam Session on next Sunday look at the website.

Rob Williams
President and Musical Director.
Cairns Tropic Jazz Club Inc.
My door is always open at www.tropicjazz.org.au
21032008