KEEP IT CLEAN ON THE GOLD COAST
James Home Services CEO Mike Dowling believes the Gold Coast should do more to attract tourists and more to help move them around once they’re here
Why the city needs more family-friendly eateries
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE GOLD COAST?
“I’m a boatie, so I like the waterways, outdoor living, relaxed atmosphere.
“We have really nice neighbours, it’s a nice community and I really enjoy it.” WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE DONE BETTER ON THE GOLD COAST?
“I understand councils and governments have to work to budgets, but I think they should reach out more to businesses on the Gold Coast to create more infrastructure – parks, playgrounds and local schools.
“We have an active business community here on the Coast who I’m sure could help in some form or capacity.
“Why don’t we all get together and work on a project?
“I think we’d find a lot of businesspeople would be willing to do that.
“If the council are always looking at high-rises, for argument’s sake, they’re dealing with very big clients and looking MIKE Dowling has worked in the cleaning business for more than 25 years and took over the popular James Homes Service in 2015, when it was on the brink of collapse. The father-of-five has increased the number of franchisees by about 45 per cent, introduced a new IT system and expanded into the commercial-cleaning market since moving the at the money angle rather than local families.” IN YOUR TRAVELS, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN BEING DONE ELSEWHERE YOU THINK COULD WORK WELL HERE? “Definitely more familyfriendly company’s head office to the city. Mr Dowling plans to expand into Tasmania this year and South Australia next year. Before buying James Home Services, Mr Dowling founded supermarket cleaning giant Just 1 Call, which employs about 600 people nationwide. He is also a philanthropist who has donated $300,000 to people in need in the past year. restaurants, more al fresco outdoor dining – we have the weather and the space.
“We could use more familyfriendly attractions and restaurants.
“The Gold Coast is renowned for its beaches and lifestyle – but are we delivering when visitors get here?
“In other capital cities like Melbourne, they seem to have better family-friendly dining areas.
“They thrive on alfresco dining and they don’t have the Gold Coast’s fabulous weather.
“I don’t understand why we don’t try and create dining spaces on our beaches, there must be a way to build a platform.
“In Sydney there’s a wonderful restaurant right on the beach – it showcases Australia.
“All you have to do is build something on the beach – a playground, a couple of restaurants.” IF MONEY, TIME, LAWS AND APPROVALS WERE NO ISSUE, WHAT IS ONE BIG PROJECT YOU’D UNDERTAKE TOMORROW?
“Build a Disneyland-style theme park and carefully choose about 20 different countries to be in the park.
“We could have a space for each country to showcase their country’s food and culture.
“It would help people understand that our neighbours are not that different to us.
“People could go down there and talk, touch and feel – get a better understanding of each other and that will help everyone.
“The council has got some land and it doesn’t have to be in the main part of Surfers Paradise.
“I remember in World Expo 1988 in Brisbane, there was an ongoing project to establish communities.
“It doesn’t matter where – as long as it the land is there.
“It’s a theme park but you’re learning and we’re hosting it – not just for a week or a month but for all time.
“You could bring your children there and as they grow they’d get a better understanding of things.” WHAT CONVERSATIONS SHOULD GOLD COAST MOVERS AND SHAKERS BE HAVING?
“Better infrastructure so traffic can move more freely.
“People love coming to the Coast but they know as soon as they get in the car it’s going to be a long journey – they may stop coming.
“It’s always going to be a problem because we are not moving forward quick enough for the expansion of the Gold Coast.”