Crowd safety pivotal

THE Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is one of this region’s biggest events in terms of tourism and international exposure.

Beamed to more than a million people across the country and overseas, the weekend-long cycling showcase attracts cyclists from across the globe and has become a picture postcard advertisement for all that is great about our region.

It brings with it direct economic benefits in terms of visitation to the region, as well as future tourism potential. Professional athletes, sporting celebrities and TV personalities are among those who can be seen along our waterfront.

This year’s event is anticipated to be a bumper one, combining with the summer favourite Festival of Sails which this year is expected to attract a record number of race entries.

The three-day festival combines the sailing action with an array of land-based activities, culminating in an Australia Day concert featuring Ross Wilson and Mental as Anything.

Between them, they form a key pillar of Geelong’s summer events calendar, estimated to have generated more than $70 million in economic benefit in the period between January and March last year.

Unfortunately, in the current climate, events that attract the attendance of so many people, as well as millions of eyes watching across the globe, become the perfect target for somebody wanting to make a statement on a grand scale.

We have been blessed in Geelong to have been largely untouched by the threat of terrorism. But there is a sense of relief that we haven’t been forgotten when it comes to antiterrorism measures, and we welcome the announcement that concrete bollards will be established along our waterfront during this bumper weekend.

It is a sad reflection on our world affairs that two major events on our waterfront should be cause for concern as well as celebration. But given the potential for disaster in the current climate, it is always better to be safe than sorry so we can focus on enjoying the magnificent events on offer.