Step up in bid to revive CBD
A CAIRNS commercial property expert has identified three major blocks to creating a vibrant and thriving Cairns city centre for shop tenants as council offers an update on a landmark project to revitalise the ailing CBD.
Not-for-profit Renew Australia has partnered with CBD landlords and Cairns Regional Council in a year-long project where artists and businesses can occupy empty tenancies without charge.
The project aims to reduce commercial vacancies and increase CBD foot traffic.
Renew Cairns project manager Phil Druery is expected to speak at a Cairns Chamber of Commerce business luncheon at the Pullman Cairns International next Tuesday.
Two months into the yearlong project four spaces in the CBD have been activated to make a minor dent in vacancy rates of between 35 and 40 per cent.
Shops to start up under the trial include The Cheek Co, Kiss Teas, Bespoke Stitchery
and Golden Orb amid escalating violence and anti-social behaviour in the CBD.
Veteran Cairns property expert Stacey Quaid laid out three key issues needing to be tackled.
“The one that is top of mind for me, is the CBD being taken over by itinerants and problem people,” he said.
“The second is a lot of the operators geared toward international tourism, selling tours or Ugg boots, have suffered and lived off scraps of the domestic tourism and they have struggled.
“And you have buildings that have had no tenanted income, so building owners can’t invest in a property’s upkeep.
“In the future it will change, sooner or later, if we will see significant effort put into those areas (but) how do you expect to see a CBD revitalised when people are scared?”
Acting Cairns Regional Mayor Terry James conceded there needed to be a new approach to improve safety and address crime in the city centre and council was reviewing its Acceptable Behaviour Plan for the CBD.
“Anti-social behaviour in the city requires a new approach and we recognise that if we want to make long term changes to city safety we need to be involved,” he said.
Involvement included an application for a $250,000 state grant to trial a youth intervention program.
“The intent is that by connecting young people with the help they need, we can address the root cause of the anti-social behaviour,” he said.
It’s anticipated the council initiative would start in October, allowing time for skilled staff to be recruited, if state government funding is successful.