The Town Council last night unanimously expressed its preference for the Anzac precinct as the location for the national Aboriginal art gallery provided the NT Government has received consent from the traditional owners. So far there is no evidence that it has been given.
In another decision the council voted against the introduction of a youth curfew, proposed by Cr Eli Melky for the fifth time, but now with the support of Deputy Mayor Matt Paterson. MORE LATER.
Monday, November 18, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
It’s amazing how the council that is meant to be representing the residents of Alice Springs is not listening to them.
How many times do the residents and the traditional owners say the same thing: Not on the Anzac Oval as this is a sacred site to ALL Alice Springs residents.
And does there need to be real violence before the government steps up and says, enough is enough with this brazen behaviour in this town?
I was in K-Mart yesterday and some young girls were helping themselves to ladies’ clothes and putting them down their pants.
On informing the sales persons at the check out, I was told that they can do nothing, (message from above) no not God.
The staff are not allowed to touch or confront these [kids].
What is the use of the wages for the so called security staff standing at the front door, if they can do nothing about this behaviour?
Thank you to all the councillors and Mayor for your decision.
This is my response: None of you will have my vote at the next election.
You said nothing for the demolition of the old school and now say yes to a site which should not be north of The Gap.
Have you ever heard of curses? I can see your smiles. Pity.
Sadly glad now we escaped, along with another 10,000 genuine locals since the mid 80s, and now have no doubt that another 10,000 will also … soon.
Respect must go both ways. Aboriginal elders must show leadership in everything.
There is no consent. The traditional owners have spoken clearly and with one voice: “South of The Gap.”
These are the manifestations of a dysfunctional society.
Education is the key to some youths becoming positively engaged into the wider community with determination to that result.
There will be trying times perpetually until then. Parents of these youths should be made responsible to the law as in the wider community.
Maybe the council has found a way to curry favour with the NT Government and still appease the ratepayers and voters of Alice Springs.
They know that consent from the TOs will not be forthcoming so they won’t be blamed for the proposal collapsing.
Feet in both camps and political favours still curried.
If you go far enough south, you end up back this side of The Gap.
But really, the ideal place is the Desert Park.
It has the infrastructure, the views and the space to be truly epic.
A half arsed gallery shoe horned into the front of the oval is not iconic and nor will it be a “destination” for tourist.
The Desert Park will allow the gallery to reach its full potential plus allow for future development of the cultural centre.
If we do this gallery wrong (i.e. cheap and non iconic) for the sake of increasing foot traffic to the mall it will fail (just like the mega fauna museum).
It must be epic. It won’t be cheap. But if it is truly iconic people will come and it will generate a return on the investment.
Flights to town will increase. The Todd mall will benefit from the wider booming tourism it brings.
Uluru isn’t at the end of a Mall but people sure as hell travel from across the world to see it. It is a gold mine – it is ICONIC.
To repeat – nothing squeezed into the constraints of Anzac site will be iconic. It will provide a short term sugar hit to construction and perhaps add a decimal place to the average length of the tourist stay. It will be an ongoing cost to the NT budget and it will fail to SAVE ALICE SPRINGS.
Alice Springs needs saving. It is in structural and social decline.
There are only two things that can save the town.
A booming industrial base (minerals and gas – this is a long shot).
OR\r an iconic reason to come to Alice Springs. This is infinitely more important and valuable than a $400m ship lift.
Do it properly or don’t do it at all. ANZAC site WILL FAIL!
The drawing of plans shown in the previous news article do no show the car parking arrangements or indication as to where people will park.
Keeping the oval is one thing but with the existing carpark being proposed to be ripped up for other uses, where will the patrons park for the: Youth Centre, Anzac Oval events, Seniors Centre, Totem Theatre over flow and now the proposed new art centre which will no doubt generate hundreds of cars.
Where will every one park?
Will an underground parking complex be built beneath the oval? Or a multi storey carpark across the road?
The oval and new art gallery will also be surely subjected to flooding. It might not be raining now but in the next decade I am sure there will be a major flood.
I seriously think the proposed art gallery is in the wrong spot and my reasons are not because of cultural reasons but purely logistical reasons.
You can’t have people walking a 100 or more meters from a multi-storey car park across the street to the gallery near where the school was. It’s completely crazy.
Respect people’s wishes and build the gallery either in town in an existing carpark and build a new rooftop car park on top of it or simply build it south of The Gap.
Seniors Centre, Totem Theatre will disappear to make room for parking cars.
@ Evelyne Roullet: Thanks. Alas I thought the Totem Theatre was heritage listed and I thought the senior’s centre recently had been refurbished not too long ago, with new paint inside and out the last 13 months.
Meanwhile I noticed at 7.30am this morning the last of the two storey building was almost completely demolished. I could also see the bulldozers pulling the final single story building down too.
I have no doubt the entire school site will be rubble by tonight or tomorrow morning.
@ Observer: HERITAGE ACT 2011 (NO 34 OF 2011)
PART 2.4–REVOCATION OF DECLARATION OF HERITAGE PLACES AND OBJECTS
The Minister may ask the Council to assess whether the declaration for a heritage place or object should be revoked.
If you study the Act you see everything is possible with the “Outlaws” in charge of the NT.