Call to rethink relocation plan
THE Palaszczuk Government is being asked to rethink about relocating NightQuarter to the health and knowledge precinct at Parklands.
Bonney MP Sam O’Connor reignited debate about the future of the live-entertainment venue after tabling a Save NightQuarter petition in State Parliament yesterday. It had been signed by 18,906 people.
“Since opening in 2015 it (NightQuarter) has given thousands of locals a festival every weekend with food, drinks, markets, entertainment and one of the largest live music spaces on the Gold Coast,” Mr O’Connor told Parliament.
“That meant it could handle artists who otherwise would have likely skipped coming to the Gold Coast. I was a regular there and I have great memories of seeing Flight Facilities, Amy Shark, Baker Boy, The Cat Empire and, most recently, the final evening with UB40.”
Mr O’Connor first put up the solution of NightQuarter relocating to the old Commonwealth Games athletes village after being forced this month to leave the Helensvale site
“Let us look at some of the facts. We have a State-owned precinct of nine-and-a-half hectares available for commercial use.
“NightQuarter are keen and they say that the space could work. They would only be looking at taking up to half a hectare at most and there is already a suitable section that was used as a carpark during the Commonwealth Games.
“JLL, the managers of the Smith Collective residential area in the precinct, are very supportive of having NightQuarter move in next door. Up to 50 per cent is permitted for non-health and knowledge-related use and out of the 15 lots up for rent only three have been used.”
Mr O’Connor said the land use setting out the rules for the area allowed for food premises to be located at ground level and for indoor entertainment.
“This is a chance to have a live-entertainment venue within walking distance of light rail, buses, Griffith University and Australia’s largest build-to-rent community,” he said.
Mr O’Connor said the Government had an opportunity to support a “local icon”.