Does Liverpool Council really need a committee devoted to the main problems facing Liverpool CBD? That has been a question that has come up again and again at council meetings since the idea was first proposed by Liberal councillor Ned Mannoun.
I say: why not? anything that can help fix some of the problems in our dying CBD needs to be embraced wholeheartedly.
Those who support the new committee argue that the problems in the CBD, which they list as the lack of parking, a high rate of crime, lack of economic development and lack of recreational activities, require a concentrated effort, from a specific group, if they are to be solved. Those that oppose the committee, argue that council already has programs in place aimed at solving these issues and that creating another group to work on them would simply be wasteful and redundant.
Of course, those from the former group counter that if there are already plans in place to fix these problems then why hasn't anything changed over the past decade or so. Why isn't there more parking in the CBD and why do shop keepers and locals still feel unsafe in
the CBD in the late afternoon and especially at night? And why have there been so few new businesses opening up in Liverpool long before the financial crisis hit and why are there so few opportunities for recreation for both young people and adults, outside of shopping at Westfield?
Even after the committee was voted in by council there was a Labor move to have it dropped again, which didn't go through. So now that is it going ahead, I think that council should get on with recruiting community members to the group and then get on with the job at hand!
Everyone seems to agree that parking is a real problem in the CBD and working in the CBD myself, I can attest that there is literally nowhere to park on a weekday morning and the only option is paid parking. Something needs to be done about this and quickly. There
are several sites in the CBD which could be suitable candidates for a new car park. For example, the vacant lot between the new TAFE building and Liverpool station. That area is owned by the State Government, but I'm sure that council could make some arrangement
to make use of it. The council's plan of upgrading the Northumberland Car Park is a winner and it should be done quickly, but it won't solve the solution long-term, we will need at least another parking garage after it is completed.
During their many heated debates over the subject, Labor councillor Anne Stanley asked where Cr Mannoun gets his evidence that Liverpool CBD is unsafe and that's why businesses aren't interested in opening up stores there. I would argue that while many crimes may
not be reported to police they are still happening and the majority of Liverpudlians feel at least uncomfortable but most often unsafe when they walk through the CBD and that should be enough for council to want to do something about the issue.
We at the paper hear every week about how many arrests police make and about their operations and officers and detectives are always quick to say that the idea that Liverpool is dangerous is just a negative perception and not actually the case. They also say they can't do anything about crime going unreported and people's attitudes. But council can do something about these things. Council can improve the look of the CBD and spearhead social programs to help people addicted to drugs and those disenfranchised by society. They can work to create a safer and more attractive environment which locals will feel more comfortable in.
Recreation and economic development are obviously interelated to the two above problems, as well. How can we develop recreational facilities or encourage economic growth in the CBD if we don't have parking or safety? The answer's a simple one: we can't! So the first two need to be fixed ASAP and then council should move on to these, possibly more challenging, problems next.
I say the best way to go about it is to promote council with a marketing campaign and be positive about the area. Mayor Wendy Waller has always been a strong supporter of being positive about Liverpool. She is always quick to point out that she has lived in Liverpool
all her life and she is sick and tired of people knocking her home. Which is a very good attitude to have. I think that a big part of the problem in Liverpool is that people just don't like where they're living and that has to stop. We need to start talking our city up, in order to encourage more businesses to move here and keep our economy going during these tough economic times.
I think it's a good idea to bring all of these elements to the table at once and get some holistic solutions, because we need to bring our CBD back to life.
So, as I said, I am in support of the new committee, but I do hope that it doesn't just become another talkfest or opportunity for verbal attacks, as some of our councillors seem to greatly enjoy playing politics!
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