Council could do a lot for Coast tourism by making parking free
I AM writing whilst on an extended business trip and staying in a little town of 45,000 people 160 miles from New York City, 25 miles from the capital of New York State, Albany (95,000 people) just over half way to Montreal in Canada. It’s a place called Saratoga and it is well known for the longest-running sports venue in the USA (horse racing) and the mineral spas, made famous by President Roosevelt’s frequent therapeutic visits. It has no beaches but has Lake George and a bit further out the winter Olympic venue of Lake Placid.
What has this to do with the demise, or at least major downturn, of tourism on the Gold Coast? Well this place and the surrounding areas triple their populations during the spring, summer and autumn which leaves just winter where tourism is supported by a smattering of ski fields. The point is I guess that the area caters for everyone, it is thriving, and most importantly it reminds me of bygone days of the Gold Coast where caravan parks, budget motels, al fresco dining, live music bars, nightclubs and international hotels all sit very comfortably with one another.
The police presence is there but subtle, the highways are busy but generally move along at 80 MPH (not KPH) though the state limit is 65 MPH, the highway patrol pull over the idiots (100mph types) but there is no radar (in driving 50 miles per day on the I 87 for 6 weeks have not seen one accident), the city (or town) centre is packed daily and every night with restaurants morphing into bars as the night goes on, the live bands add to a Sunday session and guess what, the parking is free. There is even a two-storey car park owned by the local council that’s free. Even the nearest airport at Albany has short term parking for $2.00 per hour, and not a parking inspector in sight (it would have less patronage than OOL).
The atmosphere is conducive to good dining, fun and family fare without feeling that everyone has their hand in your back pocket looking for your wallet, yet if you wish, you can spend USD $28.00 on a rare beer (ordered by accident, I didn’t have my glasses with me).
My theory is that the tone has been set by the local authorities and we can still look at this type of model for Burleigh and Coolangatta, where local authorities could set the tone by abolishing the parking meters, introducing low profile but evident security and maintaining what is left of the local history.
It is way too late for tacky Surfers, too late for show pony Broadbeach and too late for crime ridden Southport so what is left should capitalise on the model that is Saratoga, New York State.
I’m not sure what we can do about our revenue collection service and their revenue-hungry radar equipment controlled by the revenue-hungry state government, but we should be able to preserve some of what was the original attraction of the Gold Coast, sun, beach, surf, family fun and nightlife with taste.
Just some friendly advice from someone lucky enough to be doing business in an unpretentious piece of paradise, somewhat like the Coast when I moved there in 1979.